White Carr Meadow
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE786457 | — | Favourable | 1.11 | 2010-07-26 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Triassic
Landscape processes: Fluvial, Glacial
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| cuckoo | Unknown |
Description
Area, 1.1 hectares 2.7 ac Description White Carr Meadow is a small damp hayfield situated on alluvial gley soils overlying Triassic Mercia Mudstones and glacial drift adjacent to the Pocklington Canal near Bielby. The meadow is important as one of the best remaining examples of unimproved, species rich damp neutral grassland in North Humberside and is maintained by traditional management for hay. Such meadows, which were formerly widespread, are now restricted in distribution due to agricultural improvement, particularly drainage, reseeding and the use of artificial fertilisers. The grassland sward consists of a diverse assemblage of forbs, grasses and sedges with meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, common knapweed Centaurea nigra and meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris being particularly abundant. Other species occurring within the meadow include bugle Ajuga reptans, betony Betonica officinalis, cowslip Primula veris, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi, cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis, hairy sedge Carex hirta and cat's ear Hypochaeris radicata. Of particular note is the widespread occurrence within the meadow of pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, a species with a restricted distribution in Humberside.
Species mentioned
Show the 15 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| meadow foxtail | Alopecurus pratensis | LC | grass | poaceae |
| sweet vernal grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| bugle | Ajuga reptans | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| betony | Betonica officinalis | VU | herb | lamiaceae |
| cuckoo-flower | Cardamine pratensis | LC | herb | brassicaceae |
| black knapweed | Centaurea nigra | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| meadow sweet | Filipendula ulmaria | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| cat's-ear | Hypochaeris radicata | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| cowslip | Primula veris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| meadow buttercup | Ranunculus acris | DD | herb | ranunculaceae |
| great burnet | Sanguisorba officinalis | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| pepper saxifrage | Silaum silaus | EN | herb | saxifragaceae |
| ragged-robin | Silene flos-cuculi | LC | herb | carophyllaceae |
| devils-bit scabious | Succisa pratensis | VU | herb | caprifoliaceae |
| hairy sedge | Carex hirta | LC | sedge | cyperaceae |
Insects to look out for
These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Centaurea nigra |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Filipendula ulmaria |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Succisa pratensis |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Centaurea spp., Filipendula ulmaria |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Ranunculus spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis, Centaurea spp. |
| Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae |
Near Threatened | Centaurea nigra |
Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.