Summer 2025 Biodiversity Survey Foxglove Covert

On 1st July 2025, the Darlington and Teesdale Naturalist Field Club conducted a comprehensive survey at the Fox Covert nature reserve (Grid Ref: SE1593897304), also referred to as Foxglove Covert in other records. The visit was led by David Selby, with Mary Atkinson and Jill Cunningham serving as recorders. The survey documented a rich diversity of flora and fauna, including flowering plants, shrubs, trees, grasses, rushes, sedges, non-flowering plants, ferns, birds, insects, and fungi.

Overview of Species Recorded

The survey recorded a significant number of species across various categories:

Total Flowering Plants: 71
Total Shrubs: 9
Total Trees: 21
Total Grasses: 8
Total Rushes: 5
Total Sedges: 3
Non-flowering Plants: 2
Ferns: 3

Detailed Flora Records (Fox Covert Nature Reserve)

The botanical report from Fox Covert nature reserve documented a wide array of plant life.

Flowering Plants (71 species)
- Initial Records (60 species): Angelica, Betony, Branched Burr-reed, Broad-leaved Dock, Broad-leaved Pondweed, Broad-leaved Willowherb, Common Catsear, Common Cleavers, Common Daisy, Common Dog Violet (leaf), Common Figwort, Common Fleabane, Common Nettle, Common Poppy, Common Ragwort, Common Sorrel, Common Spotted Orchid, Crosswort, Dandelion, Enchanter’s Nightshade, Field Forget-me-not, Foxglove, Garlic Mustard (leaf), Germander Speedwell, Greater Spearwort, Greater Trefoil, Ground Ivy, Heath Bedstraw, Hemp Agrimony, Herb Bennet, Herb Robert, Lady’s Bedstraw, Lesser Stitchwort, Marsh Bedstraw, Marsh Marigold, Marsh Thistle, Meadow Buttercup, Meadowsweet, Meadow Vetchling, Nipplewort, Oxeye Daisy, Purple Loosestrife, Ragged Robin, Red Campion, Red Clover, Ribwort Plantain, Self-heal, Silverweed, Slender St. John’s Wort, Spear Thistle, Tormentil, Tufted Vetch, Water Avens, Water Forget-me-not, Water Mint (leaf), Water Plantain (leaf), White Clover, Wood Dock, Wood Sorrel, Yellow Iris (seed).
- Additional Records by Jill Cunningham (11 species): Black Knapweed, Black Medick, Bog Bean (leaf), Canadian Waterweed, Eye-bright, Fairy Flax, Great Burnet, Smooth Catsear, Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Wild Basil, Zig-zag Clover.
Shrubs (9 species)
- Initial Records (7 species): Bramble, Dog Rose, Elder, Gorse, Guelder Rose, Honeysuckle, Raspberry.
- Additional Records by Jill Cunningham (2 species): Dewberry, Juniper.
Trees (21 species)
- Initial Records (17 species): Alder, Ash, Aspen, Blackthorn, Crab Apple, Crack Willow, Field Maple, Gean, Goat Willow, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Pedunculate Oak, Rowan, Silver Birch, Sycamore, Witch Hazel.
- Additional Records by Jill Cunningham (4 species): Alder Buckthorn, Buckthorn, Grey Alder, Sitka Spruce.
Grasses (8 species)
- Initial Records (4 species): Cocksfoot, Rye Grass, Tufted Hairgrass, Yorkshire Fog.
- Additional Records by Jill Cunningham (4 species): False Brome, False Oatgrass, Hairy Brome, Reed Sweetgrass.
Rushes (5 species)
- Initial Records (3 species): Hard Rush, Soft Rush, Common Reed.
- Additional Records by Jill Cunningham (2 species): Common Spike Rush, Compact Rush.
Sedges (3 species)
- Initial Records (2 species): Common Clubrush, Cotton Grass.
- Additional Records by Jill Cunningham (1 species): Glaucous Sedge.
Non-flowering Plants (2 species): Field Horsetail, Water Horsetail.
Ferns (3 species): Broad Buckler, Male Fern, Bracken.

Fauna and Other Biological Records (Foxglove Covert)

Records from “Foxglove Covert” include observations of birds, insects, galls, fungi, and other animals.

Birds:
- Blackbird
- Chiffchaff (heard)
- Great tit
- Grey Heron
- Little Grebe
- Long tailed tit
- Moorhen
- Robin
- Rooks
- Spotted flycatcher
- Willow warbler (heard)
- Wood pigeon
- Wren
Insects:
- General Insect Records:
  - anthophila fabriciana
  - aphantopus hyperantus
  - camptogramma bilineata
  - lomaspilis marginata
  - maniolajurtina
  - parage aegeria
  - pieris brassicae
  - Scotopteryx chenopodiata
  - thymelicus sylvestris
  - tyria jacobaeae
  - xanthorhoe montanata
  - yponomeuta evonymella
  - aeshna cyanea (Southern Hawker dragonfly)
  - chrysopilus cristatus (Snipe fly)
  - rhagio tringarius (Marsh Snipe Fly)
  - tephritis bardanae (Picturewing fly)
  - urophora jaceana (Picturewing fly)
  - xyphosia miliara (Picturewing fly)
  - volucella bombylans var plumata (bee mimic)
  - grypocoris stysi (plant bug)
  - palomena prasina (Common Green Shieldbug instar)
  - philaenus spumarius (Common Froghopper)
  - cionus scrophulariae (Figwort Weevil)
  - aphidecta obliterata (Larch Ladybird)
  - lagria hirta (beetle)
  - malthodes (marginatus?) (beetle)
  - rhagonycha fulva (Common Soldier Beetle)
  - dicranopalpus ramosus agg (Harvestman)
- Specific Insects Recorded by Jill Cunningham: Common Nettle-tap moth, Small Skipper, Yellow Shell, Clouded Border, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood Butterfly, Large White, Shaded Broadbar, Ringlet, Cinnabar caterpillar, Silver-ground Carpet, Bird Cherry Ermine nests, Pond Skater sp, Whirlygig Beetle sp, Blue’ Damselflies.
Fungi:
- annulohypoxylon multiforme (Birch Woodwart)
- caryophylloseptoria lychnidis (Red Campion leaf spot)
- erysiphe alphitoides (Oak leaf mildew)
- ganoderma australis (Southern Bracket)
- gymnopus androsaceus (Horsehair Parachute)
- gymnosporangium clavariforme (Hawthorn-Common Juniper rust)
- kuehneola uredinis (Rubus ceasia Pale Bramble rust)
- neoerysiphe galii (Hedge Woundwort mildew)
- peronospora trifoliorum (Zig-zag clover downy mildew)
- podosphaera aphanis (Herb Bennet mildew)
- podosphaera filipendulae (Meadowsweet mildew)
- puccinia coronata (Buckthorn leaf and Alder Buckthorn leaf rust)
- puccinia urticata (Nettle rust)
- ramularia pratensis (Primrose leaf spot)
- ramularia primulae
- trametes versicolor (Turkeytail)
- triphragmium ulmariae (Meadowsweet rust)
- ramularia pratensis (Also identified as Primrose leaf spot)
- Dock leaf spot
Insect Galls:
- General Gall Records: acalitus rudis, acalitus stenaspis, aceria macrochela, aceria nervisequa, aceria pseudoplatani, aculus laevis, blennocampa phyllocolpa, chirosia betuleti, chirosia grossicauda, cynips divisa, dasineura pustulans, dasineura ulmaria, diplolepis rosae, eriophyes inangulis, eriophyes laevis, eriophyes pyri, eriophyes similis, euura bridgemanii, euura pedunculi, gilletteella (adelges) cooleyi, hartigiola annulipes, iteomyia capreae, iteomyia major, jaapiella veronicae, neuroterus anthracinus, neuroterus numismalis, neuroterus quercusbaccarum, phyllocoptes goniothorax, psyllopsis fraxini agg, tetraneura ulmi, trioza remota.
- Specific Galls Recorded by Jill Cunningham: Birch leaf erineum (mite), Beech leaf edge galling (mite), Field Maple leaf vein galls (mite), Beech leaf vein galling (mite), Sycamore leaf felt galls (away from veins + raised upper), Grey Willow leaf raised galls (mite), Dog Rose leaf roll (sawfly), Male Fern shoot tip mop, Bracken pinnule curl, Oak leaf Hard Pea galls (gall wasp), Meadowsweet leaf (midge), Dog Rose Robin’s Pincushion (gall wasp), Common Alder leaf midrib galls (mite), Common Alder leaf galls (mite), Rowan leaf galls (mite), Blackthorn leaf edge (mite), Grey Willow leaf bean galls (sawfly), Goat Willow leaf hairy pea galls (sawfly), Sitka Spruce elongated shoot tip galls (aphid), Beech leaf raised galls (mite), Goat Willow leaf hard galls, Grey Willow leaf larger galls, Germander Speedwell shoot tip galls (midge), Oak leaf midrib Oyster galls (gall wasp), Oak leaf Silk Button (gall wasp), Oak leaf Spangle galls (gall wasp), Hawthorn leaf edge (mite), Ash leaf curl galling (psyllid), Elm leaf Fig gall (aphid), Oak leaf pit galls (phsyllid).
Leaf Miners:
- agromyza alnibetuli (Birch leaf fly mine)
- amauromyza flavifrons (Hedge Woundwort leaf fly mine)
- chromatomyia primulae (Primrose leaf fly mine)
- phyllonorycter coryli (Hazel micromoth mine)
- phytomyza ilicis (Holly fly mine)
Other Animals:
- Common Shrew
- Common Frog (with tadpoles observed)

Observation Locations and Grid References

Observations were recorded across various specific locations within the reserve, often identified by grid references or path names:

General Grid Reference for Fox Covert: SE1593897304.
Many observations were noted with grid references such as SE1696, SE1597, SE1697, SE16139706, and SE1596.
Specific paths and areas mentioned include:
- Risedale Beck path
- Wildflower meadow path
- Spigot Mere path
- Pond-dipping, east path
- Wildflower meadow to Stone Circle
- Paddock path
- North lake path
- West ponds path
- Paddock road
- Wooded grids
- Bracken grids
- Road
- Near field centre nw woods
- Lake path
- Bridge to lake hide
- Log pile near centre
- Cut trunk near centre
- Litter near centre
- South orchard path