FLORA / BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS / OTHER INVERTEBRATES / BIRDS

A wide range of plants, invertebrates and birds are observed in the St. Annes coastal dunes. However, it must be noted that due the limited area and the high level of disturbance the numbers, particularly of birds, are significantly lower than with comparable dunes on the south side of the Ribble estuary. The following is a summary and links are provided to detailed lists.

PLANTS About 250 species of flowering plants, grasses, sedges, rushes, ferns and fungi have been recorded on the reserve and dunes. Worth noting is the Dune Cabbage and the Dune Helleborine, which are both nationally rare, Sea Holly, Sea Spurge, Early Marsh Orchids, Grass of Parnassus, Round- leaved Wintergreen, Yellow Birds' Nest, Marsh Helleborine, Adders Tongue Fern and Variegated Horsetail

BIRDS 40 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve and the dunes in the last few years although few breed here due to the high level of disturbance.

BUTTERFLIES 18 species of butterfly have been recorded on the Nature Reserve including the nationally notable Grayling

MOTHS Over 350 moths have been recorded in the 'Dunes SSSI, among them the Sandhill Rustic a National Biodiversity Action Plan top priority species and the nationally uncommon Coast Dart and Mother Shipton.

DRAGONFLIES 9 species of dragonfly have been recorded including the Yellow-Winged Darter and the Migrant Hawker which are both nationally scarce.

BEES 6 species of bees have been recorded including the Vernal Mining Bee (Red Data Book) which was once thought to be extinct in Lancashire.

WASPS Solitary wasps are found in the dunes including Podalonia Hirsuta (Nationally notable) and Podalonia Affinis (Red Data Book)

FLIES 40 species of hoverflies are found in the SSSI and among the stiletto flies found Dialineura Anilis (Red Data Book) is notable as is the bee fly Phthiria Pulicaria (Nationally notable).

SPIDERS Over 30 species of spiders have been recorded in the St. Annes Dunes including two species of jumping spider and a money spider that are nationally scarce. Six species are not known elsewhere in Lancashire.

FUNGI Various fungi are found including three species listed in the Red Data Book

FLORA / BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS / OTHER INVERTEBRATES / BIRDS