Burr Closes, Selby
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE595339 | — | Favourable | 1.28 | 2012-06-12 |
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
Area, 1.3 hectares 3.1 ac Description Burr Closes, Selby, is a small area of damp alluvial meadowland, agriculturally unimproved and rich in flowering plant species, of a type which is now scarce in the Vale of York. Grasses such as tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and cock's foot Dactylis glomerata dominate the sward, but many herbs are present including an abundance of greater burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria together with pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, common meadow rue Thalictrum flavum, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis and ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi. In the wetter areas, there are stands of reed canary grass Phalaris arundinacea, greater pond sedge Carex riparia and brown sedge Carex disticha, while in somewhat drier parts there are betony Betonica officinalis, cowslip Primula veris and quaking grass Briza media. The site is a noted locality for the forester moth Adscita statices.
Species mentioned
Show the 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sweet vernal grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| quaking grass | Briza media | VU | grass | poaceae |
| cock's foot | Dactylis glomerata | LC | grass | poaceae |
| tufted hair grass | Deschampsia cespitosa | LC | grass | poaceae |
| Yorkshire fog | Holcus lanatus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| reed canary grass | Phalaris arundinacea | LC | grass | poaceae |
| betony | Betonica officinalis | VU | herb | lamiaceae |
| meadow sweet | Filipendula ulmaria | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| cowslip | Primula veris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| 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 |
| common meadow rue | Thalictrum flavum | LC | herb | ranunculaceae |
| the forester | Adscita statices | Not listed in GB list | moth | zygaenidae |
| brown sedge | Carex disticha | LC | sedge | cyperaceae |
| greater pond sedge | Carex riparia | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Filipendula ulmaria |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Deschampsia cespitosa |
| The anomalous Stilbia anomala |
Vulnerable | Deschampsia cespitosa |
| Large nutmeg Apamea anceps |
Near Threatened | Dactylis glomerata |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis |
| Marsh carpet Gagitodes sagittata |
Near Threatened | Thalictrum flavum |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Dactylis glomerata, Holcus lanatus |
| Rosy minor Litoligia literosa |
Near Threatened | Dactylis glomerata |
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.