Yellow belle on a green roof
5 October 2011
Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve (NNR) is the new northern home for a southern belle.
What is thought to be the first Yorkshire breeding colony of the yellow belle moth has been discovered on the green roof of the Reserve Base at Natural England’s Lower Derwent Valley NNR. The yellow belle normally breeds around the south coast and East Anglian Breckland, but can now be found at its new pied-a-terre between York and Selby.
The yellow belle needs hot, dry micro-climates and prefers coastal habitats. It produces two generations each year, with adults flying in May/June and then August/September. It is believed that the individuals seen this year are the fourth generation. It is unusual to find them this far inland – the other sightings in Yorkshire have been at Spurn Point. The natural matting for the green roof was grown in the Breckland and it is thought that the moths have arrived with the roofing.
The new reserve base at the Lower Derwent Valley NNR was built during 2010 and was officially opened on world wetlands day in February this year. As well as several other ‘green features’, the base has a green sloping roof to blend the building into the surrounding landscape, whilst making it almost invisible to the thousands of waterfowl that return to the site every year from the high Arctic.
Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager, Craig Ralston said “It’s obviously great to have a reserve base that is fit for purpose and allows us to manage the NNR efficiently. But to have a demonstration green build, complete with a Yorkshire first is a real bonus and one that adds to the experience of visitors coming to the NNR. It’s also been a rich reward for all those involved with developing the base and hopefully we’ll be inspiring people to create little havens in their own gardens as a result.”
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Notes for editors
For further information please contact Lyndon Marquis on 0300 060 4236, 07786 277223, lyndon.marquis@naturalengland.org.uk
Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve
As one of the last great areas of winter-flooded grassland in England, Lower Derwent Valley supports a tremendous variety of wildlife. In spring and summer the meadows are rich with flowers, insects and breeding birds, and from late autumn internationally important numbers of wildfowl arrive from the Arctic to spend the winter here. Parts of the Reserve are managed by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the Carstairs Countryside Trust.
Yellow belle moth
A medium-sized moth, yellow in colour with two brown bands across the forewing. It is widely found around the southern coast and has bred as far north as the Northumberland coast, but is seldom found inland. Frequents sandhills, shingle beaches, edges of saltmarshes, waste ground and other rough grassy places. Primarily coastal, although also found on Breck grassland. The caterpillars feed on wild carrot, restharrow, buck’s-horn plantain, beaked hawk’s-beard and several other low-growing plants.
About Natural England
Natural England is the government’s independent adviser on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.
We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved
We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation
We run Environmental Stewardship and other green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland
We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats
We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.
