120 butterflies released at Dawson

We would like to thank all those who were involved in taking care of their Monarch Butterfly chrysalises until they e-closed (transformed to a butterfly) in late August and early September. It is always so heartwarming to see the community meet outside in the Peace Garden every day at noon during that week to tag and release monarch butterflies.

According to Montreal’s Espace pour la vie: “On July 21, 2022, the migratory Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus) was added to the “red list” of threatened species of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).”

By planting milkweed and pollinating flowers and raising monarchs, the Dawson community is trying our best to do our little part to help these creatures at risk. This year, we successfully tagged approximately 120 Monarchs and hope to breed and raise Monarchs on the campus grounds in August 2023.

One of our Dawson Monarch fans, Debra Gill of the Social Science and Business Technology Office says that the Monarch Butterfly Project is “always a spirit lifter activity.”

Photo: Patrick McBride of Facilities Management with one of his butterflies.

Submitted by Jennifer de Vera of the Sustainability Office.