Monarch Watch

Chip Orley R. Taylor, Jr.1, Jim Lovett2, Elizabeth Sellers3

1 Monarch Watch,  Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, 2021 Constant Ave, 66047, Lawrence, United States; 2 Monarch Watch, University of Kansas, 2021 Constant Avenue, 66047, Lawrence, United States; 3 United States Geological Survey (USGS), 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Mailstop 302, 20192, Reston, United States

Corresponding author(s): Chip Orley R. Taylor, Jr. (chip@ku.edu)Jim Lovett (jlovett@ku.edu), Elizabeth Sellers (esellers@usgs.gov)

Received {date}; Revised {date}; Accepted {date}; Published {date}

Citation: Combination of authors, year of data paper publication (in parentheses), Title, Journal Name, Volume, Issue number (in parentheses), and doi of the data paper.

Resource Citation

Monarch Watch, Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, 2021 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, KS, 66047, U.S.A. (Accessed through Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON), https://bison.usgs.gov, YYYY-MM-DD) http://monarchwatch.org/

Abstract

Monarch Watch is a nonprofit education, conservation, and research program based at the University of Kansas that focuses on the monarch butterfly, its habitat, and its spectacular fall migration. Monarch Watch strives to provide the public with information about the biology of monarch butterflies, their spectacular migration, and how to use monarchs to further science education in primary and secondary schools. We engage in research on monarch migration biology and monarch population dynamics to better understand how to conserve the monarch migration. We also promote protection of monarch habitats throughout North America.

Keywords: Metadata, Monitoring, insects, lepidoptera, Observation

General description

Purpose: Mission Statement: Monarch Watch strives to provide the public with information about the biology of monarch butterflies, their spectacular migration, and how to use monarchs to further science education in primary and secondary schools. We engage in research on monarch migration biology and monarch population dynamics to better understand how to conserve the monarch migration. We also promote protection of monarch habitats throughout North America.

Vision Statement: In recognition of the rapid loss of habitats and resources needed by monarch butterflies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, our vision is the preservation of the monarch migration will require stewardship by the governments and private citizens of all three countries. We all must work together to create, conserve, and protect monarch habitats. Sustaining monarch habitats will have the effect of protecting vital pollinators and other wildlife.
Additional information: In 1992, Taylor founded Monarch Watch, an outreach program focused on education, research and conservation relative to monarch butterflies. Since then, Monarch Watch has enlisted the help of volunteers to tag monarchs during the fall migration. This program has produced many new insights into the dynamics of the monarch migration. In 2005 Monarch Watch created the Monarch Waystation program, in recognition that habitats for monarchs are declining at a rate of 6,000 acres a day in the United States. The goal of this program is to inspire the public, schools and others to create habitats for monarch butterflies and to assist Monarch Watch in educating the public about the decline in resources for monarchs, pollinators and all wildlife that share the same habitats.

Project details

Project title: Monarch Watch
Personnel: Orley R. "Chip" Taylor, Jr.
Funding: Funding for Monarch Watch is primarily provided through private contributions and the sale of promotional and educational items.

Data published through GBIF: https://bison.usgs.gov/ipt/resource?r=monarchwatch

Taxonomic coverage

General taxonomic coverage description: Monarch (Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758)) butterflies.
Taxonomic ranks
Species: Danaus plexippus
Common names: Monarch butterfly

Spatial coverage

General spatial coverage: The United States and Canada.
Coordinates: 25°36'36''N and 49°55'12''N Latitude; 109°8'24''W and 68°16'48''W Longitude 

Temporal coverage: August 9, 1992 - December 30, 1997

Methods

Method step description: See Sampling Description.
Study extent description: Locations within the United States and Canada.
Sampling description: Researchers and citizen scientists submit data associated with monarch tagging activities occurring at numerous locations throughout the eastern United States and Canada.
Quality control description: Monarch Watch provides data sheets for controlled submission of data, discards data with incomplete information, and validates tag codes.

Datasets

Dataset description
Object name: Darwin Core Archive Monarch Watch
Character encoding: UTF-8
Format name: Darwin Core Archive format
Format version: 1.0
Distribution: https://bison.usgs.gov/ipt/archive.do?r=monarchwatch
Publication date of data: 2020-01-08
Language: English
Licences of use: Public Domain (CC0 1.0)

Metadata language: English
Date of metadata creation: 2015-10-26
Hierarchy level: Dataset