Researchers are to attempt to rear swallowtail butterflies from eggs frozen in liquid nitrogen in a test to see whether cryopreservation could support the long-term conservation of Britain\u2019s largest native species.<\/p>\n
In a groundbreaking project, researchers will freeze eggs of captive-bred European swallowtails in liquid nitrogen at -196C and attempt to rear butterflies from the unfrozen eggs, comparing their success with butterflies reared from eggs that have never been frozen.<\/p>\n
If the method is successful, it could lead to eggs of the British swallowtail being stored to support long-term conservation strategies, such as breeding programmes and translocation efforts.<\/p>\n
The British swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus) is a unique subspecies but its range is shrinking and it is vulnerable to extinction, confined to low-lying parts of the Norfolk Broads likely to be overwhelmed by rising seas over the next century. In 2024, it suffered its worst year since scientific records began.<\/p>\n
Cryopreservation for butterflies is being tested by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in partnership with Jimmy\u2019s Farm & Wildlife Park and Nature\u2019s Safe charity, a biobank specialising in conservation cryopreservation.<\/p>\n
Dr Alvin Helden, a member of the Applied Ecology Research Group at ARU, said: \u201cOur project will combine fieldwork and lab research to see if we can establish a reliable method for preserving the British swallowtail\u2019s genetic material by using its closely related, but less endangered, European cousin. Cryopreservation is a promising tool for supporting conservation efforts, but we believe this is the first time it has been attempted with butterflies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jimmy Doherty, founder of Jimmy\u2019s Farm & Wildlife Park, which houses a thriving captive population of the European swallowtail (Papilio machaon gorganus), said: \u201cOur commitment to the science of entomology, and especially butterfly conservation, means this project is a natural fit for us. Partnering with ARU and Nature\u2019s Safe allows us to apply our expertise to work that could make a real difference in protecting the British swallowtail for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
Debbie Rolmanis, chief operating officer of Nature\u2019s Safe, said: \u201cThis project holds significant importance for the development of cryopreservation techniques \u2013 not only for the British swallowtail, but across pollinators and invertebrates as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n