Autumn brings streams of monarch butterflies migrating southward through western Missouri. As they mingle with local butterflies, it gives people a fine time to see the orange and black monarchs.

A news release says the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Burr Oak Woods Nature Center is scheduled to host a free online virtual program about monarchs from 1 to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2.

This program also will teach participants how to utilize citizen science to help track the monarch population’s fall migration to wintering grounds in the mountain pine forests of Mexico. Participants will learn how to catch and carefully handle monarchs; how to apply small paper tags to the wings; and how to enter tag numbers in a data base. People finding a monarch with a tag can report it to the online data base. The information gathered helps scientists track monarch movements and population trends.

Registration is required for this program. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZBe.

Photo courtesy the Missouri Department of Conservation.