Release!

We're lucky enough to live in a rural area. One with plenty of prime locations to send a monarch on its way. So after a nice safe night in our living room it was time to go ...

 ... to Mexico.

And that to me is the most amazing thing about this incredible process. That these insects, with their minuscule brains and no memory of the journey (it was their great great great grandparents that made the previous trip south), migrate to a forest in Mexico.

We know they migrate because of the tags that many volunteers, including for the first time us, put on them each year.

Thus on my way to work last Monday morning I took our newly emerged male monarch to a nearby field. One with plenty of flowers for food.

On Tuesday it was the female's turn.

Here she is with her tag showing.

We would love to learn that these two made it to Mexico. But the chances of us hearing anything is small.

Should anyone find our, or any other tagged monarchs, they can report the tag number by email to TAG@KU.EDU or by phone to 1-888-TAGGING (824-4464). Our two monarchs are sporting tags with the numbers TLJ728 (the male) and TLJ729 (the female).

Here's hoping they make it. And that we learn that they do.