Yorkshire Walks

Tansy Beetles on their only food plant, the Tansy Plant on the bank of the River Ouse

We walked along the road called Water End for about 250m and then down the slope on the left to the path along the river bank. It was a warm humid but overcast day which must suit the beetles because after about 200m along the river bank, there they were, where Jim & his wife had seen them yesterday. Beautiful irridescent little creatures unseen by the many residents and tourists alike passing by along the river bank in York. To find out more about the Tansy Beetle visit www.buglife.org.uk/tansy-beetle After we had taken some photos of the beetles we continued along the riverside path to Lendal Bridge and turned left up the slope to join Museum Street. We waited in Museum Street near the entrance to the Museum Gardens for the Park & Ride bus to take us back to the car park.

Yesterday was a pleasant sunny day and my friend Jim & his wife walked into York along the River Ouse from the Rawcliffe 'Park & Ride' car park. Along the way they saw a lady examining some plants on the river bank. It turned out that she was a volunteer working with a conservation charity that is trying to save the Tansy Beetle. It lives exclusively on the Tansy Plant and its last known stronghold is along the banks of the River Ouse both upstream and downstream of York. When they returned home Jim called in to tell me about the beetles that we had hoped to see on our travels for many years with out success. So this morning Jim & I drove to the Rawcliffe 'Park & Ride' and took the bus into York we got off at the bus stop in Water End near Clifton Green.

These beetles are this year's hatchlings that will soon hibernate (September) underground until the Spring