This evening, the local nature preserve hosted a butterfly-tagging event. Most of those in attendance were parents with their young children, but it looked like the parents had at least as much fun.

Each participant is armed with one regulation butterfly net. Upon catching the butterfly, its gender is determined and it is marked with a small round sticker. After being tagged, the creature is released.

Things noted:

• The butterfly knows to fly just high enough to be out of reach.
• Adults and children alike look stupid chasing a tiny insect all over a nature preserve.
• Two butterflies were caught while I was around; The first was accidentally let go of during the tagging process.
• These early-fall butterflies will fly 3,000 miles to Mexico.
• Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be the ones returning to this area.