Members of the New Mills Natural History Society held a field meeting on Longstone Edge on 5 July 2017. We looked at a number of plants typical of calcareous grassland and leadrakes, as well as some butterflies.
You can view pictures of some of what we saw.
Possibly Eristalis sp.
Ringlet
Aphantopus hyperantus
Cream-spot ladybird (I think, the Orange ladybird is similar).
Possibly Calvia 14-guttata
Meadow Crane's-bill
Geranium pratense
Common Fragrant Orchid on a moderately steep south facing side of a small open cast lead rake, well vegetated.
Gymnadenia conopsea
Common Fragrant Orchid
Gymnadenia conopsea
Common Rock-rose, in calcareous grassland beside path.
Helianthemum nummularium
Agrimony
Agrimonia eupatoria
Musk Thistle (also known as nodding thistle).
Carduus nutans
Sefheal
Prunella vulgaris
Scarlet Pimpernel
Anagallis arvensis
Musk Mallow forming large stand on short, clacareous grassland beside track.
Malva moschata
Musk Mallow
Malva moschata
Buff-tailed bumblebee on Musk Thistle
Bombus terrestris on Carduus nutans
Limestone Bedstraw
Galium sterneri
Spring Sandwort, a species sometimes frequent on lead rakes.
Minuartia verna
