For years, the tracking of monarch butterflies with tags has depended on chance encounters along their migration path. This year, Nature NB has introduced a new approach using advanced technology to eliminate the element of luck entirely.
In collaboration with the Saint John Naturalist Club, Point Lepreau Bird Observatory, and Environment and Climate Change Canada, Nature NB has introduced Bluetooth-enabled tags on monarchs in New Brunswick for the first time this season. Francie Morgan, program co-ordinator at Nature NB, described this initiative as a groundbreaking advancement in monarch conservation efforts in the Maritimes.
The newly deployed BluMorpho tags are solar-powered, weighing a mere 0.066 grams, which is a fraction of a monarch’s body weight. They are affixed to the butterfly’s thorax with a dab of eyelash glue and feature a small antenna along the abdomen. Unlike traditional wing tags that require physical recapture for data collection, BluMorpho tags operate through passive Bluetooth interactions. Individuals with Bluetooth activated on their mobile devices within 100 meters of a tagged monarch will automatically record a data point.
According to Morgan, interested individuals can download the Project Monarch app to scan for these tags and track the monarchs’ journey. Jim Wilson, a seasoned birder and naturalist from the Point Lepreau Bird Observatory, emphasized the significance of this technological shift. He highlighted the previous method’s reliance on numbered wing tags and the reliance on chance sightings, contrasting it with the current online accessibility of monarch locations.
The utilization of this technology on monarchs in Canada began last year through a partnership between Environment and Climate Change Canada and Birds Canada in southern Ontario. Nature NB secured funding following a successful pilot, receiving support from the Environmental Trust Fund of New Brunswick and additional tags from the federal government. Despite delays at the border affecting tag deployment, Nature NB anticipates utilizing 22 tags by season end, with the potential for more pending shipment clearance.
Wilson noted similar complications with tag supply, with a portion stuck in customs due to tariffs. The early data collected has provided valuable insights into monarch migration routes within the province. Notably, the tags confirmed Point Lepreau as a crucial stopover for monarchs en route to Grand Manan along the Eastern Seaboard.
Unforeseen strong westerly winds led to three tagged monarchs diverting to Nova Scotia this season, offering researchers novel insights into migration decision-making influenced by wind conditions. Wilson emphasized the importance of tracking individual migration routes to identify key natural corridors that monarchs depend on, aiding conservation efforts to safeguard these areas.
By downloading the Project Monarch app, anyone can monitor the tagged monarchs, with tags bearing the prefix PLBO denoting deployment at the Point Lepreau Bird Observatory in New Brunswick. Nature NB aims to tag 22 monarchs in the province by the season’s conclusion.