Leader: Catherine Palmer
Five members present who met at 7pm in the car park at SE544039 and walked through the park via the upper, middle and lower Lakes.
Introduction
The Green-flowered Helleborine Epipactis phyllanthes, is deemed to be Nationally Scarce in Great Britain and in the north is regarded as “a very rare orchid” occurring at restricted sites along coastal dunes in Lancashire and Cumbria, at two adjacent sites on the Yorkshire Wolds and along the Permian Magnesian Limestone ridge through Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland where it occurs on post- industrial sites.
The Cusworth Population
The plant was first discovered in Cusworth Park (SE5503) in 1975 by Dr John Hodgson of the Unit of Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield. This was in Grey Poplar Populus x canescens woodland on the north bank of the middle lake. It was again encountered here in July 1998 by Joyce Payne and CAH, three spikes were present in September 1999 and one in July 2000 but the site was destroyed by the removal of the woodland and re-engineering of the lake during the winter of 2003-04.
What is now known to be the main Cusworth colony, located in the narrow belt of damp riparian Grey Poplar woodland between the eastern side of the lower lake and the deep ring drain of the adjacent arable land, was first noticed in 1986 by Martin Limbert (of Doncaster Museum) and has been monitored here ever since by a succession of local botanists. This population is regarded to be far larger than other Yorkshire colonies (with a maximum count of 100 plants in 1999) and is comparable with the celebrated population at the Ainsdale NNR, Lancashire.
The situation in 2022
This year, owing to the driest spring and summer on record, there was no sign of the Helleborines in their usual areas along the shaded path along the east side of the lower lake. However, the survey met with success as Catherine found a diminutive specimen growing from the dry earth over the drain from the basin pond and the team found a further seven healthy plants in a new area beside the path on the western side of the lower lake. These may have spread from a single large plant discovered by Ian Mcdonald and CAH of the Doncaster Nats in August 2004 at a new site near a venerable oak (now removed) on the western bank of the lower lake.
The Green-flowered Helleborine Epipactis phyllanthes was described New to Science in 1852 by the Rev. George Edwards Smith, who discovered it in Phyllis Wood, Westdean, West Sussex in 1838-39. Interestingly Rev. Smith served (1844-86) as curate of St Wilfred’s church Cantley and was an extremely active botanist during his period here. However, he does not appear to have been aware of any Epipactis species at Cusworth or elsewhere in southern Yorkshire.
More background information on the Cusworth population is available in The Naturalist (2015) 140: 48-56, a copy of which is in the Society archives.
Field notes recorded 27 July 2022 by CAH.
| Scientific Name | Vernacular Name | Location & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| VASCULAR PLANTS | ||
| Artemisia vulgaris | Mugwort | Upper Lake |
| Carex acutiformis | Lesser Pond-sedge | Upper Lake |
| Epilobium hirsutum | Great Willowherb | Upper Lake |
| Heracleum sphondylium | Hogweed | Upper Lake |
| Juncus inflexus | Hard Rush | Upper Lake |
| Upper Lake | ||
| Lactuca serriola | Prickly Lettuce | Upper Lake |
| Lotus corniculatus | Bird’s foot Trefoil | Upper Lake |
| Lycopus europaeus | Gypsywort | Upper Lake |
| Pulicaria dysenterica | Common Fleabane | Upper Lake |
| Ranunculus repens | Creeping Buttercup | Upper Lake |
| Scrophularia auriculata | Water Figwort | Upper Lake |
| Stachys palustris | Marsh Woundwort | Upper Lake |
| Tussilago farfara | Colt’s foot | Upper Lake |
| Dactylis glomerata | Cock’s-foot Grass | Upper Lake |
| Holcus lanatus | Yorkshire Fog | Upper Lake |
| Arrhenatherum elatius | False Oat-grass | Upper Lake |
| Colutea arborescens | Bladder Senna | Large fruiting bushes at bottom of steep path along east side of upper lawn |
| Acorus calamus | Sweet Flag | Middle Lake |
| Alchemilla sp | Lady’s Mantle sp | Middle Lake |
| Arrhenatherum elatius | False Oat-grass | Middle Lake |
| Dactylis glomerata | Cock’s-foot Grass | Middle Lake |
| Equisetum sp | Horsetail sp | Middle Lake |
| Glyceria maxima | Reed Sweetgrass | Middle Lake |
| Holcus lanatus | Yorkshire Fog | Middle Lake |
| Hosta sp. | Hosta sp | Large grey-green var. planted either side of the cascade from upper to middle lake. Plants in flower and with no signs of slug predation! |
| Juncus inflexus | Hard Rush | Middle Lake |
| Lotus corniculatus | Bird’s foot Trefoil | Middle Lake |
| Lycopus europaeus | Gypsywort | Middle Lake |
| Nymphaea alba | White Waterlily | Middle Lake |
| Odontites verna | Red Bartsia | Middle Lake |
| Pulicaria dysenterica | Common Fleabane | Middle Lake |
| Rhinanthus minor | Yellow Rattle | Middle Lake |
| Scrophularia auriculata | Water Figwort | Middle Lake |
| Trifolium repens | White Clover | Middle Lake |
| Typha latifolia | Reed Mace | Middle Lake |
| Acer campestre | Field Maple | Lower Lake |
| Acer pseudoplatanus | Sycamore | Lower Lake |
| Aesculus hippocastanum | Horse-chestnut | Lower Lake |
| Artemisia vulgaris | Mugwort | Lower Lake |
| Arum maculatum | Arum | Lower Lake |
| Brachypodium sylvaticum | Wood False Brome | Lower Lake |
| Cirsium arvense | Creeping Thistle | Lower Lake |
| Cirsium vulgare | Spear Thistle | Lower Lake |
| Corylus avellana | Hazel | Lower Lake |
| Crataegus monogyna | Hawthorn | Lower Lake |
| Dactylis glomerata | Cock’s-foot Grass | Lower Lake |
| Dipsacus fullonum | Teasel | Lower Lake |
| Epilobium hirsutum | Great Willowherb | Lower Lake |
| Epipactis phyllanthes | Green-flowered Helleborine | 1 small plant by Basin Pond and 7 by path on north side of lower lake |
| Equisetum sp | Horsetail sp | Lower Lake |
| Equisetum sp. hybrid | Horsetail sp | Lower Lake |
| Filipendula ulmaria | Meadowsweet | Lower Lake |
| Fagus sylvatica | Beech | Lower Lake |
| Fraxinus excelsior | Ash | Lower Lake |
| Geum urbanum | Wood Avens | Lower Lake |
| Glechoma hederacea | Ground Ivy | Lower Lake |
| Glyceria maxima | Reed Sweetgrass | Lower Lake |
| Hedera helix | Ivy | Lower Lake |
| Heracleum sphondylium | Hogweed | Lower Lake |
| Holcus lanatus | Yorkshire Fog | Lower Lake |
| Holcus mollis | Creeping Soft-grass | Lower Lake |
| Ilex aquifolium | Holly | Lower Lake |
| Juncus inflexus | Hard Rush | Lower Lake |
| Lemna minor | Duckweed | Lower Lake. In boundary drain. |
| Ligustrum vulgare | Wild Privet | Lower Lake |
| Lonicera periclymenum | Honeysuckle | Lower Lake |
| Mahonia aquifolium | Oregon Grape | Lower Lake |
| Melica uniflora | Wood Melic Grass | Lower Lake |
| Melilotus officinalis | Ribbed Melilot | Lower Lake |
| Mentha aquatica | Water Mint | Lower Lake |
| Mercurialis perennis | Dog’s Mercury | Lower Lake |
| Mycelis muralis | Wall Lettuce | Lower Lake |
| Nasturtium officinale | Water Cress | Lower Lake |
| Odontites verna | Red Bartsia | Lower Lake |
| Plantago lanceolata | Lanceolate Plantain | Lower Lake |
| Plantago major | Broad Leaved Plantain | Lower Lake |
| Populus nigra ‘Italica’ | Lombardy Poplar | Lower Lake |
| Populus × canescens | Grey Poplar | Lower Lake |
| Quercus robur | Common Oak | Lower Lake |
| Ranunculus repens | Creeping Buttercup | Lower Lake |
| Rosa canina | Dog Rose | Lower Lake |
| Rosa arvensis | Field Rose | Lower Lake |
| Rubus fruticosus | Bramble | Lower Lake |
| Salix fragilis | Crack Willow | Lower Lake |
| Salix viminalis | Osier | Lower Lake |
| Sambucus niger | Elder | Lower Lake |
| Senecio jacobaea | Common Ragwort | Lower Lake |
| Scrophularia auriculata | Water Figwort | Lower Lake |
| Silene dioica | Red Campion | Lower Lake |
| Stachys palustris | Marsh Woundwort | Lower Lake |
| Stachys sylvatica | Hedge Woundwort | Lower Lake |
| Solanum dulcamara | Woody Nightshade | Lower Lake |
| Symphoricarpos rivularis | Snowberry | Lower Lake. Dense shrubberies at the north end of the lake. |
| Tamus communis | Black Bryony | Lower Lake |
| Taxus baccata | Yew | Lower Lake (many seedlings) |
| Tussilago farfara | Colt’s foot | Lower Lake |
| Ulmus glabra | Wych Elm | Lower Lake |
| Urtica dioica | Stinging Nettle | Lower Lake |
| Viburnum opulus | Guelder Rose | Lower Lake |
| Alisma plantago-aquatica | Water Plantain | Basin Pond (11 plants) |
| Mentha aquatica | Water Mint | Basin Pond |
| Mercurialis perennis | Dog’s Mercury | Basin Pond |
| Solanum dulcamara | Woody Nightshade | Basin Pond |
| FUNGUS | ||
| Laetiporus sulphureus | Colony of Sulphur Bracket fungus on fallen dead tree trunk | Lower lake [amazingly bright ‘day-glow’ yellow] |
| BIRDS (Upper Lake) | ||
| Cygnus olor | Mute Swan | 2 adults & 2 cygnets |
| Podiceps cristatus | Great Crested Grebe | 1 adult & 1 well grown chick |
| BIRDS (Middle Lake) | ||
| Cygnus olor | Mute Swan | 2 adults & 3 cygnets on middle lake one adult with ring 863Y |
| BIRDS (Lower Lake) | ||
| Anas platyrhynchos | Mallard | |
| Fulica atra | Coot | 1 adult |
| Gallinula chloropus | Moorhen | 1 adult |
| Accipiter nisus | Sparrowhawk | Fledged young in tree tops calling to be fed |
| MAMMALS | ||
| Sciurus carolinensis | Grey Squirrel | Investigating desiccated pond to east end of keepers cottage |
| Neomys fodiens | Water Shrew | Dead specimen on draw-down mud bank of Lower Lake boundary drain |
| Microtus agrestis | Field Vole | Dead specimen on lawn at head of Lower Lake. |
| INVERTEBRATES | ||
| Cameraria ohridella | Horse-chestnut Leaf-miner | Leaf mines on Horse-chestnuts throughout the park. |
| Elachista maculiceruselis | Triple-spot Dwarf | Leaf mine along the entire length of a Phragmites leaf. |
Assembled at 10:30am in car park at SK669865
Leader: Jim Burnett
Nine members present.
This flat sandy site in the floodplain of the River Ryton is one of a series of restored flooded sand & gravel pits. The visit took place on a hot sunny day after a period of dry weather. Along sunlit sections of perimeter paths the Butterflies were particularly numerous and active.
| Botany | |
|---|---|
| Acer campestre | Field Maple |
| Acorus calamus | Sweet Flag |
| Alnus glutinosa | Alder |
| Anagalis arvensis | Scarlet Pimpernel |
| Arrhenatherum elatius | False Oat-grass |
| Artemisia vulgaris | Mugwort |
| Bellis perennis | Daisy |
| Betuls pendula | Silver Birch |
| Bryonia dioica | White Bryony |
| Buddleja davidii | Butterfly Bush |
| Camerion angustifolium | Rosebay |
| Carex pendula | Pendulous Sedge |
| Centaurea nigra | Common Knapweed |
| Centaurium erythraea | Common Centaury |
| Circaea lutetiana | Enchanters’ Nightshade |
| Cirsium arvense | Creeping Thistle |
| Cirsium palustre | Marsh Thistle |
| Cirsium vulgare | Spear Thistle |
| Crassula helmsii | Newzealand Pygmyweed |
| Crataegus monogyna | Hawthorn |
| Dactylis glomerata | Cock’s-foot Grass |
| Dactylorhiza praetermissa | Southern Marsh Orchid |
| Dianthus barbatus | Sweet William |
| Dryopteris filix-mass | Male Fern |
| Epilobium hirsutum | Hairy Willowhweb |
| Epilobium montanum | Broad-leaved Willowherb |
| Epipactis helleborine | Broad-leaved Helleborine |
| Equisetum arvense | Common Horsetail |
| Euphorbis helioscopia | Sun Spurge |
| Filipendula ulmaria | Meadowsweet |
| Galium aparine | Cleavers |
| Galium saxatile | Marsh Bedstraw |
| Geranium robertianum | Herb Robert |
| Geum urbanum | Wood Avens |
| Glechoma hederacea | Ground-ivy |
| Hedera helix | Ivy |
| Heracleum sphondylium | Hogweed |
| Holcus lanatus | Yorkshire-fog |
| Hypericum tetrapterum | Square-stemmed St John’s wort |
| Hypericum perforatum | Perforate St John’s wort |
| Iris pseudacurus | Yellow Iris |
| Juncus effusus | Soft Rush |
| Ligustrum vulgare | Wild Privet |
| Lolium perenne | Rye Grass |
| Lotus corniculatus | Bird’s-foot Trefoil |
| Lotus uliginosus | Marsh Trefoil |
| Lycopus europus | Gipsywort |
| Lythrum salicaria | Purple-loosestrife |
| Malva sylvestris | Mallow |
| Mentha aquatica | Water Mint |
| Phragmites australis | Common Reed |
| Pinus nigra subsp. | Corsican Pine |
| Plantago lanceolata | Lanceolate Plantain |
| Plantago major | Broad-leaved Plantain |
| Populus x canadensis | Gray Poplar |
| Potentilla anserine | Silverweed |
| Pulicaria dysenterica | Fleabane |
| Quercus robur | Common Oak |
| Ranunculus repens | Creeping Buttercup |
| Rhinanthus minor | Yellow Rattle |
| Rosa canina | Dog Rose |
| Rubus fruticosus agg | Bramble |
| Salix cinerea | Grey Willow |
| Salix pentandra | Bay-leaved Willow |
| Salix var fragilis | Crack Willow |
| Salix viminalis | Osier |
| Sambucus nigra | Elder |
| Scrophularia auriculata | Water Figwort |
| Scutellaria galericulata | Skullcap |
| Senecio jacobaea | Common Ragwort |
| Silene alba | White Campion |
| Silene dioica | Red Campion |
| Solanum dulcamara | Woody Nightshade |
| Stachys sylvatica | Hedge Woundwort |
| Torilis japonica | Upright Hedge-parsley |
| Tragopogon pratensis | Goat’s-beard |
| Tussilago farfara | Colt’s Foot |
| Typha latifolia | Reedmace |
| Ulex europaeus | Gorse |
| Urtica dioica | Stinging Nettle |
| Viburnum opulus | Guelder-rose |
| INVETEBRATES | |
| COLEOPTERA (Beetles) | |
| Coccinella septempunctata | 7 spot Ladybird |
| Oedemera nobilis | Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Pair in ‘cop’ on Hog weed flower) N.B. |
| DIPTERA (Flies) | |
| Episyrphus balteatus | Marmalade Hoverfly (nectaring on Hogweed umbel) |
| Eristalis tenax | Common Dronefly (nectaring on Buddleja davidii) |
| Syrphus ribesii | Common Hoverfly (nectaring on Hogweed umbel) |
| Vollucella pelucens | Pellucid Hoverfly (nectaring on Buddleja davidii) |
| HYMENOPTERA (Bees & Wasps) | |
| Apis mellifera | Western Honey Bee (nectaring on Buddleja davidii) |
| Andrena sp. | Mining Bee (nectaring on Buddleja davidii) |
| Profenusa pygmaea (Symphyta) | Sawfly ID from Blotch mine on Oak leaf |
| LEPIDOPTERA (Butterflies & Moths) | |
| Aphantopus hyperantus | Ringlet |
| Epermenia chaerophyllella | Garden Lance-wing moth ID from leaf mine on Hogweed leaf. |
| Pieris brassicae | Large White |
| Pieris rapae | Small White |
| Polygonia c-album | Comma (on Buddleja davidii) |
| Polyommatus icarus | Common Blue |
| Pyronia tithonus | Gatekeeper |
| Thymelicus lineola | Essex Skipper |
| Thymelicus sylvestris | Small Skipper |
| Vanessa atalanta | Red Admiral (on Buddleja davidii) |
| ODONATA (Dragonflies & Damselflies) | |
| Aeshna mixta | Migrant Hawker |
| Ischnura elegans | Blue-tailed Damselfly |
| Enallagma cyathigerum | Common Blue Damselfly |
| ARACHNIDA (Spiders) | |
| Agelina labyrinthica | Several webs in gorse & brambles in sunlit areas. Male & female collected for identification from same labyrinthine web … perhaps not so cosy! |
| VERTEBRATES | |
| FISH | (from chat with local Angler) |
| Abramis brama | Bream |
| Cyprinus carpio | Common Carp |
| Esox lucius | Northern Pike |
| Perca fluviatilis | Perch |
| Rutilus rutilus | Roach |
| Tinca tinca | Tench |
| MAMMALS | |
| Talpa europaea | Mole (Hills) along pathways. Most with soil kicked away by pedestrians, revealing the hole and burrow beneath) |
| BIRDS | |
| Anas platyrhynchos | Mallard |
| Anser anser | Greylag Goose (1 in first lake) |
| Branta canadensis | Canada Goose (37 in first lake) |
| Columba palumbus | Common Woodpigeon |
| Cygnus olor | Mute Swan (pair with 6 cygnets in the large lake) |
| Erithacus rubecula | European Robin |
| Fulica atra | Eurasian Coot |
| Gallinula chloropus | Common Moorhen |
| Phylloscopus collybita | Common Chiffchaff |
| Sylvia atricapilla | Eurasian Blackcap |
| Troglodytes troglodytes | Eurasian Wren |
| Turdus philomelos | Song Thrush |
| Podiceps cristatus | Great-crested Grebe |
| Haematopus ostralegus | Eurasian Oyster Catcher |
| Tadorna tadorna | Shellduck |
| Anas strepera | Gadwall |
| Anas platyrhynchos | Mallard |
| Aythya fuligula | Tufted Duck |
| Gallinula chloropus | Eurasian Moorhen |
| Chroicocephalus ridibundus | Black-headed Gull |
| Larus argentatus | Herring Gull |
| Pica pica | Eurasian Magpie |
| Corvus corone | Carrion Crow |
| Cyanistes caeruleus | Blue Tit |
C. A. Howes
There’s certainly a lot going on in your Dane’s Hill Hogweed umbel photograph. The insect ‘top middle’ is some form of Hymenopteran … but what?
On hot sunny days when we’re all flagging from the heat, perhaps the best ploy is to grab a few shots of Buddleia or Umbelifera flowers … Giant Hogweeds are some of the best (!), retire to the shade or return home and spend the rest of the day identifying the nectaring insects with the help of a library of identification keys and the internet.
