Previously, tracking monarch butterflies with tags relied on chance encounters along their migration route. However, Nature NB has introduced a new method this year that eliminates the need for luck.
In collaboration with the Saint John Naturalist Club, Point Lepreau Bird Observatory, and Environment and Climate Change Canada, Nature NB has implemented Bluetooth-enabled tags on monarchs in New Brunswick for the first time.
Describing this initiative as an exciting advancement in monarch conservation in the Maritimes, Francie Morgan, program coordinator at Nature NB, highlighted the use of solar-powered BluMorpho tags that weigh a mere 0.066 grams and are attached to the butterfly’s thorax with eyelash glue.
Unlike traditional wing tags that require physical recapture, the BluMorpho tags operate through passive Bluetooth interactions. When individuals with Bluetooth enabled on their phones come within 100 meters of a tagged monarch, the data is automatically recorded.
To track the monarchs, users can download the Project Monarch app, scan for the tags, and monitor the butterflies’ journey. Jim Wilson, a birder and naturalist at the Point Lepreau Bird Observatory, emphasized the significance of this shift from the old method of relying on numbered wing tags to the new online tracking system.
Last year, this technology was first introduced in Canada through a partnership between Environment and Climate Change Canada and Birds Canada in southern Ontario. Nature NB secured funding after a successful pilot, with support from the Environmental Trust Fund of New Brunswick and additional tags supplied by the federal government.
However, delays at the border have hindered the deployment of all 35 planned tags this season, with only 22 expected to be in use by the end. Similar issues have affected Point Lepreau’s supply, with eight out of 30 tags still held up in customs due to tariffs.
The early data collected has already provided valuable insights into monarch migration patterns in New Brunswick. Confirming suspicions, the tags revealed Point Lepreau as a crucial stopover for monarchs before their journey down the Eastern Seaboard towards Grand Manan.
Unexpected findings, such as monarchs being carried by strong westerly winds to Nova Scotia instead of their usual southern route, have offered researchers new perspectives on migration influences. Tracking individual routes could aid in identifying key natural corridors that monarchs rely on, enabling better conservation efforts.
By preserving and enhancing these routes, monarchs’ access to blooming plants for nectar can be ensured throughout their trip to Mexico. The public can follow the tagged monarchs by downloading the Project Monarch app, with tags in New Brunswick starting with the prefix PLBO for Point Lepreau Bird Observatory.
Nature NB anticipates tagging a total of 22 monarchs in the province by the end of the season, providing valuable data for ongoing conservation efforts.