Askrigg Bottoms
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SD948903 | — | Favourable | 2.58 | 2024-10-29 |
Description
Description Askrigg Bottoms is one of the best examples in the Yorkshire Dales National Park of a northern hay meadow community. Lying adjacent to the River Ure, it receives natural enrichment from river silt and is traditionally managed by hay cropping. The grassland community is composed of sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum with crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, common bent grass Agrostis capillaris, smooth meadow grass Poa pratensis, hairy oat Avenula pubescens and red fescue Festuca rubra. It is rich in herb species with great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis notable for its abundance. Other flowering plants present include wood crane's bill Geranium sylvaticum, pignut Conopodium majus, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, red clover Trifolium pratense and common sorrel Rumex acetosa.
Species mentioned
Show the 16 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 |
| sweet vernal grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| downy oat grass | Avenula pubescens | LC | grass | poaceae |
| crested dog's tail | Cynosurus cristatus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| red fescue | Festuca rubra | LC | grass | poaceae |
| smooth meadow grass | Poa pratensis | LC | grass | poaceae |
| pignut | Conopodium majus | LC | herb | apiaceae |
| wood cranesbill | Geranium sylvaticum | LC | herb | geraniaceae |
| rough hawkbit | Leontodon hispidus | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| oxeye daisy | Leucanthemum vulgare | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| ribwort plantain | Plantago lanceolata | LC | herb | plantaginaceae |
| salad burnet | Poterium sanguisorba | VU | herb | rosaceae |
| yellow-rattle | Rhinanthus minor | DD | herb | orobanchaceae |
| common sorrel | Rumex acetosa | LC | herb | polygonaceae |
| great burnet | Sanguisorba officinalis | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| red clover | Trifolium pratense | LC | herb | fabaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Marsh moth Athetis pallustris |
Endangered | Plantago lanceolata |
| Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia |
Endangered | Plantago lanceolata |
| Glanville fritillary Melitaea cinxia |
Endangered | Plantago lanceolata |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Rumex acetosa |
| Fiery clearwing Pyropteron chrysidiformis |
Endangered | Rumex acetosa |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Poterium sanguisorba |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Rumex spp. |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Plantago spp. |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Rhinanthus minor |
| Garden dart Euxoa nigricans |
Vulnerable | Plantago spp., Rumex spp., Trifolium spp. |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca rubra |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Poterium sanguisorba |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp., Trifolium spp. |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Plantago lanceolata, Rumex spp. |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Plantago spp., Rumex spp. |
| Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata |
Near Threatened | Trifolium spp. |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp., Poa spp. |
| Silver barred Deltote bankiana |
Near Threatened | Poa pratensis |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Plantago spp., Rumex spp. |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp. |
| Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata |
Near Threatened | Rumex spp. |
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.
Plant communities
MG3 — Northern hay meadow
Anthoxanthum odoratum-Geranium sylvaticum grassland
Matches 15 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avenula pubescens, Conopodium majus, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Geranium sylvaticum, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Plantago lanceolata, Poa pratensis, Rhinanthus minor, Rumex acetosa, Sanguisorba officinalis, Trifolium pratense
Show 88 indicator speciesCarex caryophyllea, Carex panicea, Luzula campestris, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium cuspidatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Anthriscus sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium heterophyllum, Crepis paludosa, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis discolor, Cardamine pratensis, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Stellaria media agg., Equisetum arvense, Lathyrus montanus, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium medium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia sativa, Vicia sepium, Geranium sylvaticum, Ajuga reptans, Thymus praecox, Orchis mascula, Euphrasia nemorosa, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica serpyllifolia, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Trollius europaeus, Alchemilla acutiloba, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla glomerulans, Alchemilla monticola, Alchemilla subcrenata, Alchemilla vestita, Alchemilla wichurae, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Potentilla erecta, Sanguisorba officinalis, Saxifraga granulata, Viola lutea, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa