Researchers use new tags to track monarch butterfly migration paths
Scientists at Iowa State University released tagged monarch butterflies in September to study their migration routes and weather impacts.
New technology improves tracking data
A team of experts used BlūMorpho tags on one hundred butterflies raised over the summer. These devices provide near-real-time location data using Bluetooth technology that connects to nearby phones and computers. Previous methods with wing decals could only confirm if a butterfly reached Mexico without showing its specific path.
Weather effects become visible
The new system allows researchers to see how weather conditions affect the journey along the way. John Pleasants noted that this approach solves battery-life challenges found in older tracking equipment. The team released the insects from campus to join millions of others heading south.
Study fills research gaps
Conservation scientists aim to understand the mysteries of these extraordinary migrations before winter arrives. The project addresses unknown factors regarding how travel is influenced by environmental conditions. This effort helps complete the picture of eastern North American monarch movements.
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