Mappp.co - Belshaw

Also within

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable No Change (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SE768059	—	Unfavourable No Change	0.21	2012-09-18

Description

Area, 0.2 hectares 0.5 ac Description Belshaw comprises a short length of land along a disused railway line which is important because it supports a colony of greater yellow rattle Rhinanthus angustifolius. This nationally rare plant receives special protection under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act,1981. Once widely distributed, this species is now known to occur at only six localities in great Britain; five in England Greater London, Surrey and Humberside and one in Angus, Scotland. The greater yellow rattle occurs here within a remnant of neutral grassland dominated by false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius, cock's foot Dactylis glomerata, common bent Agrostis capillaris and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus together with herbs such as great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. In damp areas common reed Phragmites australis and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria are invading the grassland and there is some development of shrubs including hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, bramble Rubus fruticosus and roses Rosa spp., along the track sides.

Species mentioned

Show the 11 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
common bent	Agrostis capillaris	LC	grass	poaceae
false oat grass	Arrhenatherum elatius	LC	grass	poaceae
cock's foot	Dactylis glomerata	LC	grass	poaceae
Yorkshire fog	Holcus lanatus	LC	grass	poaceae
common reed	Phragmites australis	LC	grass	poaceae
black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	LC	herb	asteraceae
meadow sweet	Filipendula ulmaria	LC	herb	rosaceae
greater yellow rattle	Rhinanthus angustifolius	Not listed in GB list	herb	orobanchaceae
bramble	Rubus fruticosus	LC	herb	rosaceae
great burnet	Sanguisorba officinalis	LC	herb	rosaceae
hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	LC	shrub	rosaceae

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
Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	Crataegus monogyna
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Crataegus spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Rubus fruticosus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Centaurea spp., Filipendula ulmaria
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Rubus fruticosus
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Rubus fruticosus
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Large nutmeg Apamea anceps	Near Threatened	Dactylis glomerata
White-mantled wainscot Archanara neurica	Near Threatened	Phragmites australis
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp.
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp.
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Centaurea spp., Crataegus monogyna
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp.
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Dactylis glomerata, Holcus lanatus
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata
Reed leopard Phragmataecia castaneae	Near Threatened	Phragmites australis
Fenn's wainscot Protarchanara brevilinea	Near Threatened	Phragmites australis

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.