Harmony Habitats
South Allegheny Elementary
Monarch Waystations are places that provide resources necessary for monarch butterflies to produce successive generations and sustain their migration. Our Pollinator Habitat met the requirements to become a certified waystation by providing milkweeds, nectar plants, and shelter for monarchs throughout their annual cycle of reproduction and migration.
On July 11, 2008 our Pollinator Habitat Monarch became a certified Waystation number is 2287. You can visit the Monarch Waystation website to view images of our site.
The next step in the Monarch Waystation Program is to partcipate in their Migration and Tagging Program. Jackie Hochard, Westmoreland County Master Gardener, is guiding our group through the Monarch tagging process. The University of Kansas has developed the Monarch Tagging Program which helps scientists follow the monarchs along their migration route to Mexico. The tag number is recorded and the data sheet is completed. Data includes male or female, date, reared or wild, and location of realease. The newly tagged monarchs are then released by nectar and shelter plants. The monarchs will soon begin their trip to Mexico for the winter. The new Harmony Habitat representatives and alternates are observing and learning about tagging and migration of monarch butterflies.
Post Gazette- A Royal Perch-Students Track Monarch Migration
Jackie has been working with Ms. Aubrecht, an Allegheny County Master Gardener, to collect monarch larvae from the Pollinator Habitat. The larvae were then put into small containers where they continued their life cycle.
The larvae each formed a bright green chrysalis. After 14 days, each chrysalis emerged into an adult Monarch butterfly.
A total of eight monarch butterflies were tagged and released on Sept. 27, 2009 and Sept. 30, 2009.
The monarchs are released and make a surprise stop!
Our last monarch chrysalis emerges!
Daily News- SA Harmony Habitats Students Help Study Migration of Butterflies
