Young scientists take flight in monarch study

From Duluth News Tribune: Young scientists take flight in monarch study

Samara Verhel was upset to discover a spider eating a full-grown monarch butterfly caterpillar resting on a milkweed plant.

In fact, it cast a pall over the whole group of kids researching monarch butterflies Thursday in Rice Lake Park. For about three minutes.

The 10-year-old is a member of the South St. Louis County 4-H Fireflies, working on a University of Minnesota Citizen Science project. The group works with a leader and the University of Minnesota Extension to monitor local monarch butterfly populations and research factors affecting them. In its second year of the project, the 14 kids will spend six weeks this summer meeting once a week to learn about monarchs, collect data and discuss it.

“It’s amazing how much the kids know about monarchs and how they have done a lot of science to get where they understand the life cycle of a monarch,” said Tracy Moshier, leader of the Fireflies group.

The group is one of many throughout the state working on the same monarch project, with each contributing its findings to a national database, and all meeting at a conference in October to present findings. The National Science Foundation-funded project has a second component. The Extension also is studying the kids doing the science.

“We’re looking at how Citizen Science can foster inquiry in youth,” said Becky Meyer, who works in youth development for the U of M Extension. “Does it do that?”

So far, she’s finding that it does, depending on the level of adult support Moshier has while working with the kids. The more parents, grandparents and babysitters helping out, the more valid the data, she said in this particular case, because of the young ages of the kids in the group. Generally kids working on these projects range in age from 10 to 14, but Moshier has kids as young as 6.

“Once they are exposed and have an understanding, they are starting to raise questions, like ‘I wonder why we’re not finding the chrysalis?’ ” Meyer said.

The chrysalis is the final stage of the caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly.

“That is a perfect question they have come up with,” Meyer said. “The hope is that through their interest in this project they will continue that interest and carry that as adults. We find that in young people, when they have these opportunities, it instills a natural want to be a good steward of natural resources.”

The Fireflies fanned out, checking about 100 milkweed plants for monarch eggs and caterpillars in various stages of growth.

Joey Rentz, 10, said he hasn’t personally discovered any large caterpillars yet this summer, but he loves science and the hunt. Although the group had studied predators of the monarch, he had never seen one eat one of his study subjects before.

“It proves that spiders are actually predators,” he said. “It’s kind of cool but kind of sad.”

The elusive chrysalis was not to be found. Several patches of blueberries were, however, and as the kids stuffed their mouths and pockets full, Moshier taught them the difference between that berry and the poisonous blue-bead lily fruits nearby.

“They’re always learning,” she said.