Aston Lodge Park - Grassy Patch

by Dave Emley 

We all pass it every time we drive on, or off the estate; it is our link to the countryside that surrounds us. I guess some think it is an untidy mess...   but from a wildlife perspective, it is our most valuable site.

Unimproved grassland is getting scarce and this site has some scarce and unusual species. Sadly, its future is in doubt, so let's enjoy it while we can (one resident has captured this sentiment in a poem).

Here is a link to a modified copy of my ecology report, to the Planning Enquiry. It has a full list of species found here.

A walk on the Grassy Patch

Let's take a walk and see what we can find...

Crickets & Grasshoppers

The sounds of summer for those with good hearing! We have two crickets and four grasshoppers. Crickets are very scarce in mid to North Staffordshire, so, we are fortunate to have them. They prefer the longer grass on the site, while the grasshoppers like the shorter turf.

Some Plants

As you enter the Patch from the roundabout, look on the short turf and you will see Dove’s-foot Cranesbill, a wild member of the geranium family.

In the thinnest of soil, you might find the pretty Scarlet Pimpernel. It is also known as Poor Man’s Weatherglass, on account of the flowers not opening in poor weather.

Thistles are dominant on the site. They attract nectar-seeking insects and later, birds like Goldfinch like the fluffy seeds. These are the three main species.

Pea Flowers

As the name suggests, these are related to the peas and beans that we grow and have a similar flower. They also have nitrogen fixating nodules on their roots, that help to increase soil fertility.

Some, like Bird’s-foot Trefoil, like very thin turf and bare ground, others like the tares and vetches live amongst the grasses.

Umbellifers

Umbels are members of the carrot family, most of which have umbrella-shaped domes of white flowers, much loved by insects. The main one here is Hogweed, which flowers right through to November. It does have a smell of pigs!

A Few More Bugs

A beetle that I am sure many of you have seen, is the aptly-named, Thick-legged Flower Beetle, which can often be seen on flowers

The Soldier Beetle, Rhagonycha fulva, can be very common on umbel flowerheads.

There are lots of flies here, but I selected this amazing bristly fly, Tachina fera. It is a parasite fly, that lays its eggs on the larvae of various moths.

The pretty Cardinal Beetle is associated with decaying timber. It can occasionally be seen on the Grassy Patch

A Few More Plants

Where the Grassy Patch borders Blackies Lane, there is a large stretch of Field Rose, that looks superb when in flower. The stigma sticks out of the flower on a short stalk – on Dog Rose it does not. This is more noticeable on the hips.

Winding its way through the rose is the attractive Hedge Bindweed.

Where the Grassy Patch borders the field, there is a large expanse of Bramble or Blackberry. It's great for nesting birds, but also a good source of food and nectar. Did you know that there are over 200 different sorts of Bramble!

Butterflies

The Grassy Patch is our main butterfly area and is especially good for grassland species like the Skippers, Ringlet and Meadow Brown, while the thistles attract Small Tortoiseshells, Painted Ladies, Red Admiral and more. It is one of very few spots where the rare White-letter Hairstreak can be found. You can see these in the Butterflies of Aston Lodge Park collection.