Mappp.co - East Heslerton Brow

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Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (2)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SE926757	—	Unfavourable Recovering	20.62	2013-10-31
SE930758	—	Unfavourable Recovering	19.53	2013-10-31

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Description East Heslerton Brow lies on the north facing escarpment of the Yorkshire Wolds and is unusual physiographically with a complex of spurs and small valleys which are the result of land slipping. The slopes support a chalk grassland community dominated by red rescue Festuca rubra with abundant hairy oat grass Avenula pubescens and meadow oat grass Alopecurus pratensis. Other components of the sward include yellow oat Trisetum flavescens, crested hair grass Koeleria macrantha, sheep's fescue Festuca ovina, quaking grass Briza media and carnation sedge Carex flacca. Many typical herbs occur on the site including rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, carline thistle Carlina vulgaris, burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata, and, notably, purple milk vetch Astraga lus danicus. This site is also rich in orchids which include twayblade Neottia ovata, fragrant Gymnadenia conopsea, pyramidal Anacamptis pyramidalis, frog Dactylorhiza viridis and bee orchid Ophyrs apifera. The grassland has been extensively colonised by hawthorn Crataegus monogyna. Other Information During the 1984 revision the boundary has been extended.* Under Section 23 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949.

Species mentioned

Show the 19 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
downy oat grass	Avenula pubescens	LC	grass	poaceae
quaking grass	Briza media	VU	grass	poaceae
sheep's fescue	Festuca ovina	LC	grass	poaceae
red fescue	Festuca rubra	LC	grass	poaceae
crested hair-grass	Koeleria macrantha	NT	grass	poaceae
yellow oat grass	Trisetum flavescens	LC	grass	poaceae
pyramidal orchid	Anacamptis pyramidalis	LC	herb	orchidaceae
clustered bellflower	Campanula glomerata	VU	herb	campanulaceae
carline thistle	Carlina vulgaris	LC	herb	asteraceae
frog orchid	Dactylorhiza viridis	VU	herb	orchidaceae
dropwort	Filipendula vulgaris	LC	herb	rosaceae
fragrant orchid	Gymnadenia conopsea	NT	herb	orchidaceae
rock roses	Helianthemum nummularium	VU	herb	cistaceae
common twayblade	Neottia ovata	NT	herb	orchidaceae
bee orchid	Ophyrs apifera	Not listed in GB list	herb	orchidaceae
burnet saxifrage	Pimpinella saxifraga	NT	herb	apiaceae
glaucus sedge	Carex flacca	LC	sedge	cyperaceae
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
Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	Crataegus monogyna
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
Least minor Photedes captiuncula	Endangered	Carex flacca
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
Northern brown Aricia artaxerxes	Vulnerable	Helianthemum nummularium
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Helianthemum nummularium
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Helianthemum nummularium
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Festuca spp.
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna, Pimpinella saxifraga
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp.
Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma	Near Threatened	Festuca ovina
Silky wave Idaea dilutaria	Near Threatened	Helianthemum nummularium
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Carex flacca, Festuca ovina
Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon	Near Threatened	Pimpinella saxifraga

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.