For the first time, near 500 Monarch butterflies Coming from Canada and the United States, they begin their journey to the oyamel fir forests in Mexico with a tiny transmitter attached to the chest, a device that weighs just 60 milligrams, equivalent to a grain of rice.
The initiative, known as Monarch Collaboration Project and headed by David La Puma (former director of the Cape May Bird Observatory and currently at Cellular Tracking Technologies, CTT), pursues study migration with a unprecedented level of detail to support conservation decisions.
What technology do these Monarch boats use?
The device, identified as BlūMorphoIt has been designed by CTT to minimize the impact on flight: it weighs approximately 60 mg and operates in the band of 2,4 GHzIt runs on electricity solar and BluetoothThis allows the detection of butterfly migration using both new tools and existing networks, including the Motus towers and Terra stations.
These transmitters, with their ultra-light profile and length of only a few centimeters, can send information in real time If you subscribe to a data plan, each unit costs approximately $175, according to estimates shared by the team.
The team and the scientific collaboration
The project is led by David La Puma and features the participation of CTT, Cape May Point Science Center and the Project Monarch. From WWF MexicoEduardo Rendón has praised the incorporation of this technology, noting that routes are not always linear and that weather can divert to insects, so having accurate trajectories will help make better decisions in hibernation sanctuaries.
Initial monitoring records
RocÃo Treviño, program coordinator Royal Mail, confirmed that she recently crossed into Mexico through Coahuila first female with transmitter, confirming the potential of technology to document border crossings.
One of the most detailed cases is the example LPM021, released on September 13 in Long Point (Ontario, Canada), after 37 days and 2.362 kilometers It was detected on October 19 at 16:53 p.m. near the Amistad Dam, in Ciudad Acuña (Coahuila).
Citizen participation
The project integrates a free app for mobile phone that allows anyone to detect by Bluetooth the signals of the tagged butterflies and send those records to the researchers, expanding the scope of the study through citizen science.
With the contribution of users spread across the territory, the initiative aims to weave a large tracking network of fauna by combining personal receivers, Motus towers and collaborative stations.
Data retention and use
The central objective is to turn monitoring into actionable information: identify critical areas during transit and rest periods, understanding how weather events influence and prioritizing interventions that strengthen the campaigns of the species.
Having accurate routes and schedules will make it easier to adjust management measures in both the hibernation sanctuaries of oyamel as along the migratory corridorwhere habitat loss remains a threat.
Of interest to Europe and Spain
The technological leap in insect telemetry opens the door to applying similar methodologies in Europe: research teams and observation networks could take advantage of standardized protocols and citizen science to study the movements of butterflies and other pollinators on the continent, including Spain.
This advance in monitoring 500 Monarch with ultralight transmittersPowered by solar energy and citizen collaboration, it is beginning to outline key routes and behaviors and provides a solid foundation for conservation decisions better informed.
