The Natural History of Yorkshire in 100 Species

Andy’s chosen species is the lovely perennial plant Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, Chrysosplenium oppositifolium.

Andy is a Trustee of the YHEDT, a role he has undertaken since 2007. Andy is a professional Ecologist by background and is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Europe and India at AECOM.

Leah’s chosen species is one of the most impressive and exciting marine species to visit Yorkshire’s shores – the Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae! Leah is a marine biologist, working at the Humber Nature Partnership as a conservation project officer, and has previously worked as a cetacean researcher, marine naturalist and guide for 3 years in Queensland, Australia.

Becky’s chosen species is the infamous (but misunderstood!) Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea.

Becky is a nature enthusiast living in Bingley, West Yorkshire. She currently works as an Assistant Warden at RSPB St Aidan’s and Fairburn Ings, and also volunteers for BTO and Froglife.

Kay’s chosen species is the handsome Melancholy Thistle Cirsium heterophyllum.

Kay is a self-employed plant ecologist, working for NEYEDC, River Holme Connections, and others. She has been joint Vice County recorder for South-West Yorkshire for plants since 2016 with Louise Hill and a member of Bradford Botany Group for 20 years.

Jackson’s chosen species is the unassuming but intriguing Bladder Wrack Fucus vesiculosus.

Jackson is the Project Manager for the Humber Management Scheme at Humber Nature Partnership, and has a background in Marine Biology, specifically the study of interactions between marine microorganisms and fluid mechanics.

Robert’s chosen species is the rare butterfly, the Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina.

Robert is a Butterfly Conservation volunteer who worked with successive Butterfly Conservation Regional Managers to develop site management programmes for the Duke of Burgundy in Yorkshire until 2023. He now moved his focus to recording and conservation of other rare butterfly species but is still heavily involved in Butterfly Conservation’s work in Yorkshire.

Ann’s chosen species is the beautiful arctic plant Purple Saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia.

Ann is an amateur botanist, member of Wharfedale Naturalists, and a survey volunteer at Denton Hall.

Kerry’s chosen species is one of our most iconic mammals, the European Badger Meles meles.

Kerry works as Assistant Forestry Manager for a forestry consultancy based in Yorkshire. She also surveys Badgers for the Forestry Commission, walks the Fordon butterfly transect for Yorkshire Butterfly Conservation and surveys Woodcock for the BTO, as well as being mammal and reptile recorder for Scarborough Field Naturalists Society.

Anne’s chosen species is one of our best known, and often overlooked plants: the Dandelion.

Anne has worked with plants throughout her career; from a PhD and research career to her current role at Natural England, working on nature recovery and protected sites as part of the Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Area Team. Outside of work, she is Chair of Yoredale Natural History Society.

Robert’s chosen species is the scarce and obscure Alpine Rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus.

Robert is a now retired naturalist with a wide interest in natural history, mainly botany and geology, with attempts to spread into lepidoptera, bryology, mycology and lichenology. He was previously employed at Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Area Team of Natural England as a Lead Advisor and has been the volunteer warden of one of the Yorkshire Dales Lady’s Slipper Orchid reintroduction sites for over a decade.

Clare’s chosen subject for this blog is Yorkshire’s varieties of apples and pears.

2025 is Clare’s 20th anniversary working in Local Environmental Records Centres! Clare started work on the Humber Estuary, mobilising existing environmental information and organising wintering and breeding bird surveys to identify important areas for migrant and breeding waders, before moving to NEYEDC as their East Yorkshire officer in 2007.

Mal’s chosen species is the remarkable and unusual fungi species, the Green Earthtongue Microglossum viride.

Mal has been fascinated by fungi for over 40 years and, with no formal background in the field, has now specialised in different fungi groups including the Boletes, smaller fruiting Mycena, and Eyelash fungi, for which he has created online keys to help others identify their finds.

Ken’s featured species is the tiny Ichneumon Wasp Listrodomus nycthemerus and its interaction as a parasitoid with the Holly Blue Butterfly Celastrina argiolus.

Ken is involved with wildlife photography, surveying and recording in many areas of Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. Long retired, he also helps with conservation work for the RSPB and wildlife recording more generally.

Ian’s chosen species is the moorland plant Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus.

Ian is president of Wharfedale Naturalists. After spending over 40 years in medicine, Ian is rekindling his love for the natural world. He writes a regular nature notes column for four local newspapers, gives numerous talks to natural history/scientific societies, and gardening groups, and is actively involved in conservation.

Andrew’s chosen species is the impressive Dark Giant Horsefly Tabanus sudeticus.

Andrew Grayson has been a professional freelance invertebrate consultant since 2009. Since turning professional as an invertebrate consultant, Andrew has been involved with over 100 commercial projects carried out on behalf of a wide range of clients including conservation organisations.

David’s chosen species is the delightfully-coloured Parrot Waxcap Gliophorus psittacinus.

Yorkshire born and bred, David is an amateur naturalist and photographer with an interest in a range of taxa; birds, moss, lichen, butterflies, orchids and now, fungi.

Deborah’s chosen species is the beautiful and delicate Meadow Saxifrage Saxifraga granulata.

Deborah studied dairying and worked in microbiology labs for ten years before abandoning lab work for a more outdoor life. She has a wealth of experience in botany and beyond, and has worked on meadow monitoring and surveying in the Pennine Dales, as BSBI VC65 recorder, and founder trustee of the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust.

Dan’s chosen species is the Giant Horntail Urocerus gigas, joined by its parasite the Sabre Wasp Rhyssa persuasoria, two species with a remarkable parasite-host relationship.

Dan works as a senior ecologist at Wold Ecology and co-recorder for reptiles and amphibians for the YNU. Dan’s passion for conservation has also seen him volunteer with Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire, The North York Moors, RSPCA, Flamborough Bird Observatory and Natural England through various stages of his career. 

Sam’s chosen species is the Small Eggar moth Eriogaster lanestris, a species known for its impressive larval webs.

Sam Newton is Woodland Creation Officer at the North York Moors National Park where he has been responsible for delivering the Authorities Woodland Creation Grant Scheme since 2020. Outside of work, Sam is a Yorkshire Butterfly Conservation practical volunteer leader and committee member.

Mark’s chosen species - just in time for Hallowe’en! - is the Scarlet Caterpillar Club Fungi Cordyceps militaris.

Mark has been with NEYEDC for nearly 20 years and has played a key role in the evolution of NEYEDC from the days of 7-day turnarounds for enquiries involving photocopying records and target notes to be sent out by post, through to the current system of online interactive mapping delivering our services within a matter of hours!