Join the Fargo Park District for an evening of community science and wonder at the second annual Monarch Butterfly Tagging event on Wednesday, August 21, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Urban Plains Park. This event is hosted in partnership with Audubon Great Plains, North Dakota State University, and the United Prairie Foundation.

Participants of all ages will be immersed in the beauty of monarch butterflies, celebrating their extraordinary migration and vital role in our ecosystem. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures through the process of monarch butterfly tagging. 

Event staff will showcase the delicate art of butterfly tagging, an essential practice for monitoring and understanding their migratory patterns. Participants will assist in catching the butterflies and then have the opportunity witness the precise placement of tiny, lightweight tags on their wings before their journey to their overwintering grounds. This tagging process helps scientists gather critical data where education, research and conservation come together through a larger organization, Monarch Watch. Monarch Watch is a nonprofit educational outreach program based at the University of Kansas that focuses on the monarch butterfly, its habitat, and its spectacular fall migration. 

Admission to this event is free and pre-registration is not required. Bring friends and family to share in the excitement and wonder of witnessing the grace of monarch butterflies!

Urban Plains Park is part of the Urban Pollinator Plots (UPP) Project, a collaborative effort between the Fargo Park District, Audubon Great Plains, North Dakota State University, United Prairie Foundation, and the North Dakota Outdoor Heritage Fund to establish and restore native urban landscapes that are beneficial to pollinators across the Fargo metro.