Monarch butterfly with tag

Monarch butterfly mania at Quivira NWR. We place the tags on the Monarch butterfly's discal cells. The discal cell is at the butterfly’s center of lift and gravity and therefore placing a tag in this position won’t impede their flight. Each tag weighs about 0.006g, which is approximately 1.2% of the mass of an average monarch. Attaching a tag makes the Monarch about as lopsided as you are when you put your keys or cellphone in your pocket!