Butterfly Tagging

One of my favorite summer activities is going to the Fergus Falls Prairie Wetland Management District and Learning Center. The have so many wonderful walking paths you can take to explore all of the beauty the Prairie and the Prairie Wetlands has to offer. My absolute favorite thing to do there is the Butterfly Tagging. Butterfly tagging isn’t entirely what it sounds like. You walk around and look for Monarch Butterfly, catch it in a net, take it to on of the DNR members/Park Rangers and they help you put this special sticker on their wing that has a number on it to identify that butterfly, then you simply release it! In doing this kids get the experience of learning about butterflies as well as gets a copy of the numbers of their butterflies and can follow the butterfly’s journey to where they eventually make it to Mexico for the winter. This also helps the DNR and environmental scientists keep track of the butterfly population and their environment! What better way to not only enjoy yourself and time with your loved ones than an outdoor adventure that is not only free, but educational, but is inspiring, brings out your inner child, and helping scientist and the environment by keeping track of all of these magnificent critters. I highly recommend if you are in Otter Tail County coming to the Prairie Wetlands; otherwise keep an eye out for a similar place in your area that do this or similar, as well as to just go take a “trip” to.