Kate Middleton and Prince William Promote Butterfly Conservation With Sweet Photo of Princess Charlotte

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A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)

With their bright colors and pretty patterns, butterflies are arguably one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. However, the winged insects don’t purely exist to grab our attention. As pollinators and elements of the food chain, butterflies, moths, and other invertebrates are integral parts of our ecosystem. In a bid to help promote butterfly conservation, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge recently shared a photo of their 6-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte, taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.

The Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide initiative that encourages the public to count and record the butterflies they find in their local surroundings. The citizen survey helps scientists assess the health of the environment and protect the future of different butterfly species. The photo posted by Kate Middleton and Prince William on Instagram shows adorable Princess Charlotte holding a Red Admiral butterfly near their home in Norfolk. The Duke and Duchess also shared images of Peacock butterflies perched on buddleia, also known as the “butterfly bush.”

A non-profit called Butterfly Conservation is the driving force behind the Big Butterfly Count initiative. In order to help them spread their important message, the British royals used their social media presence to encourage their followers to get involved. They write, “@savebutterflies are encouraging us all to count these incredible creatures because not only are they beautiful creatures to be around but they are also extremely important.” In a separate post, Butterfly Conservation wrote, “Your Counts are vital in helping us to take the pulse of nature!”

Today (August 31st) is the final day for people in the UK to log their butterfly sightings. The results are yet to be revealed, but keep an eye on Butterfly Conservation’s Instagram page for updates.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge recently shared a photo of their 6-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte, gently holding a Red Admiral butterfly.

🦋 We wanted to share these beautiful Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies as part of Big #ButterflyCount initiative taking place across the UK. pic.twitter.com/rZlvshEvbK

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) August 7, 2021