The British swallowtail butterfly, which is only found in East Anglia, is under threat from habitat loss, climate change and genetic erosion. Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) have teamed up with Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park and Nature’s SAFE to investigate whether cryopreservation could support Britain’s largest native butterfly. The project will assess the feasibility of using cryopreservation techniques, which involve freezing in liquid nitrogen at -196C. British Swallowtail(Image: Mark Collins, Swallowtail & Birdwing Butterfly Trust)Dr Alvin Helden, of ARU’s Applied Ecology Research Group, said: "Our project will combine fieldwork and lab research to see if we can establish a reliable method for preserving the British swallowtail’s genetic material by using its closely related, but less endangered, European cousin. "If successful, this research has the potential to help safeguard the future of the British swallowtail and significantly contribute to butterfly conservation in general."