Gingerfields

Also within

North Yorkshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Description

Description Gingerfields comprises two meadows in close proximity which are botanically rich and depend on the continuation of traditional grazing and mowing management for the survival of their flora. Such meadows have become increasingly rare nationally due to agricultural intensification. The eastern field 'Mc Guinnesses' is bounded by trees and shrubs including ash Fraxinus excelsior, hazel Corylus avellana, blackthorn Prunus spinosa and dog rose Rosa canina. The sward is characterised by sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, quaking grass Briza media and false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius. Herbs are abundant and include wood crane's bill Geranium sylvaticum, meadow crane's bill Geranium pratense, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, red clover Trifolium pratense, cowslip Primula veris, meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, lady's mantle Alchemilla agg., betony Betonica officinalis and goat's beard Tragopogon pratensis. The western field supports two distinct grassland types. Areas of thin soils have a calcicolous, lime loving, sward typified by sheep's fescue Festuca ovina, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, lady's bedstraw Galium verum and mouse eared hawkweed Pilosella officinarum. The majority of the field supports a more neutral sward of crested dog's tail, sweet vernal grass, common bent Agrostis capillaris and perennial ryegrass Lolium perenne. Herbs include ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, cat's ear Hypochaeris radicata and great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis. Most notably, the field supports a large population of the regionally rare species, meadow saffron Colchicum autumnale.

Species mentioned

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.

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.