Spaunton Quarry, Appleton Le Moors Ryenats Trial Study 2014
Spaunton Quarry is a disused limestone quarry west of Appleton Le Moors, SE7187-SE7286. It measures approximately 1km x 1.5km. About half of the quarry is open access, predominantly the southern half. A public footpath crosses the area east-west. There are two clear excavated areas, the northern area is grassed over and not included in the open access. The southern area is bare ground, some of which is open access. Indeed, the open access runs south to the A170 allowing pedestrian access via here. Although this is the main access to the quarry for vehicles there is no access for public vehicles. Access is also gained via the footpath on the east and west sides and via a track off Gray Lane on the west side running along the south of Spring wood. On the west side of the quarry is a deciduous wooded strip running north-south. There is a dry river bed running north-south on the east of this wooded area. On the east of the quarry there is a conifer plantation as well as more recent deciduous planting. There are a number of spoil heaps. Quarrying stopped approximately 8 years ago.
As expected this area is rich in flora with eight species of orchid although not in great numbers. Key species include eight bee orchids, 17 fly orchids, three northern marsh orchids, nine pyramidal orchids and 11 fragrant orchids. Both adderstongue and common cudweed are two very welcome finds at this site and viper’s bugloss, deadly nightshade and ploughmans spikenard are fairly well represented here.
Slightly surprising is the lack of birdlife although the list is by no means complete. The common buzzard is a frequent sighting with eight observed during one visit. Disappointingly, the sand martins failed to show this year. There has been a good-sized colony here in the last few years, including 2013.
Butterflies, 18 species in total, enjoy the rich flora at the quarry. Marbled white, dingy skipper and white-letter hairstreak were particularly interesting to see.
The study was undertaken by one member of Ryenats as a trial, focusing mainly on flora and butterflies during April-September with approximately two visits per month. It also included data collected on the Ryenats outdoor meeting here on 18 May. The study is by no means complete. Further visits by specialists in each field are likely to add to this data.
Flora
Adderstongue Ophioglossum vulgatum Agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria Alder Alnus glutinosa Ash Fraxinus excelsior Avens water hybrid Geum rivale x urbanum Avens wood Geum urbanum Basil wild Clinopodium vulgare Bedstraw heath Galium saxatile Bedstraw hedge Galium mollugo Bedstraw lady’s Galium verum Bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus Black meddick Medicago lupulina Blackthorn Prunus spinosa Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta Bracken Pteridium aquilinum Bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. Bugle Ajuga reptans Burdock lesser Arctium minus Buttercup bulbous Ranunculus bulbosus Buttercup creeping Ranunculus repens Buttercup meadow Ranunculus acris Celedine lesser Ranunculus ficaria Centuary common Centaurium erythraea Centuary common white Centaurium erythraea Cinquefoil creeping Potentilla reptans Cleavers Galium aparine Colt’s foot Tussilago farfara Common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium Common twayblade Listera ovata Cowslip Primula veris Crane’s-bill cut-leaved Geranium dissectum Crane’s-bill dove’s-foot Geranium molle Crosswort Cruciata laevipes Cudweed common Filago vulgaris Daisy Bellis perennis Dandelion Taraxacum agg. Deadly nightshade Atropa belladonna Dock curled Rumex crispus Dock wood Rumex sanguineus Dogs mercury Mercurialis perennis Elder Sambucus nigra Elm wych Ulmus glabra Enchanter’s nightshade Circaea lutetiana Eyebright Euphrasia agg. Fairy flax Linum catharticum False oxslip Primula x polyantha Fern broad buckler Dryopteris dilatata Fern lady Athyrium filix-femina Fern male Dryopteris filix-mas Field madder Sherardia arvensis Figwort common Scrophularia nodosa Forget-me-not changing Myosotis discolour Forget-me-not field Myosotis arvensis Forget-me-not wood Myosotis sylvatica Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Grass brome false Brachypodium sylvaticum Grass cocksfoot Dactylis glomerata Grass crested dogstail Cynosurus cristatus Grass tufted hair Deschampsia caespitosa Grass Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus Gorse Ulex europaeus Great mullein Verbascum thapsus Ground ivy Glechoma hederacea Guelder rose Viburnum opulus Hawkweed mouse-ear Pilosella officinarum Hawthorn Crateagus monogyna Hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica Herb robert Geranium robertianum Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium Holly Ilex aquifolium Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum Knapweed common Centaurea nigra Lady’s mantle Alchemilla vestita Lesser trefoil Trifolium dubium Lord and ladies Arum maculatum Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria Milkwort common Polygala vulgaris Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina Mouse-ear common Cerastium fontanum Mullein great Verbascum thapsus Nettle stinging Urtica dioica Orchid bee Ophrys apifera Orchid common spotted Dactylorhiza fuchsii Orchid common twayblade Listera ovata Orchid early purple Orchis mascula Orchid fly Ophrys insectifera Orchid fragrant Gymnadenia conopsea Orchid northern marsh Dactylorhiza purpurella Orchid pyramidal Anacamptis pyramidalis Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Parsley piert Aphanes arvensis Pearlwort procumbent Sagina procumbens Pignut Conopodium majus Plantain ribwort Plantago lanceolata Ploughman’s spikenard Inula conyzae Poppy welsh Meconopsis cambrica Primrose Primula vulgaris Ragwort Senecio jacobaea Ramsons Allium ursinum Raspberry Rubus idaeus Red bartsia Odontites vernus Red campion Silene dioica Red clover Trifolium pratense Rosebay willowherb Chamerion angustifolium Rush hard Juncus inflexus Sandwort three-nerved Moehringia trinervia Sandwort thyme-leaved Arenaria serpylifolia Scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis Sedge carnation Carex, panacea Sedge glaucous Carex flacca Sedge pale Carex pallescens Sedge pill Carex pilulifera Sedge spring Carex caryophyllea Sedge star Carex echinata Sedge wood Carex sylvatica Selfheal Prunella vulgaris Sheep’s sorrel Rumex acetosella Silverweed Potentilla anserina Sow thistle prickly Sonchus asper Speedwell germander Veronica chamaedrys Speedwell heath Veronica officinalis Speedwell thyme-leaved Veronica serpylifolia Speedwell wall Veronica arvensis Speedwell wood Veronica montana St John’s-wort hairy Hypericum hirsutum Stitchwort lesser Stellaria graminea Stork’s-bill Erodium cicutarium Strawberry barren Potentilla sterilis Strawberry wild Fragaria vesca Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus Teasel Dipsacus fullonum Thistle creeping Cirsium arvense Thistle marsh Cirsium palustre Thistle musk Carduus nutans Thistle spear Cirsium vulgare Thistle welted x1 Carduus crispus Toadflax common Linaria vulgaris Tormentil Potentilla erecta Vetch common Vicia sativa Vetch tufted Vicia cracca Vetchling meadow Lathyrus pratensis Violet common dog Viola riviniana Violet early dog Viola reichenbachiana Violet hairy Viola hirta Violet sweet Viola oderata Vipers Bugloss Echium vulgare White clover Trifolium repens Whitlowgrass common Erophila verna agg Wild thyme Thymus polytrichus Willowherb broadleaved Epilobium montanum Willowherb great Epilobium hirsutum Woodrush field Luzula campestris Wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella Yarrow Achillea millefolium Yellow pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum |
Birds
Blue tit Buzzard Chaffinch Jay Kestrel Lesser whitethroat Sand martin 2013 but not seen in 2014 Willow warbler Wren |
Butterflies
Brimstone Common blue Hairstreak white-letter Marbled white Meadow brown Orange tip Peacock Ringlet Skipper dingy Skipper large Skipper small Small copper Small heath Small tortoiseshell Speckled wood Wall brown White large White green veined |
Other insects
Cinnabar moth and caterpillars Mullein moth caterpillar Clouded silver moth Red and black frog hopper Bee fly Narrow-bordered five spot burnet moth Six spot burnet moth Green shield bug |
Adderstongue
|Common cudweed
Viper’s buglosss
Common centuary and white form
Hedge bedstraw
Bee orchid
Fly orchid Northern marsh orchid
Marbled white
Small skippers coupled
Dingy skipper
White letter hairstreak
Clouded silver moth
Common blue
Mullein moth caterpillar
Cinnabar moth caterpillar on common ragwort
Narrow-bordered five spot burnet moth just on the wing
