Liberty Kindergartners release butterflies

LIBERTY, NY — Kristine Kratz’s kindergarten class at Liberty Elementary School, shown above, recently released Monarch butterflies they had raised from chrysalises. As an added bonus, their butterflies were tagged by a member of the Audubon Society, Renee Davis. Davis, from Liberty Agway, was contacted by Bill Cogswell, grandfather of one of Kratz’s students, to come and tag butterflies.

“We learned how to tell the difference between a male and female Monarch and the proper way to hold them, as well as what they like to eat,” Kratz said. “They liked our homemade sugar water.”

The butterflies were tagged with a numbered sticker. If the butterfly is found, there is a number to be called and it will be logged in as to where it was found and the date. Monarchs migrate to a certain forested area deep in central Mexico.