Strensall Common

Strensall Common is 1,430 acres (578.75 ha) of common land to the south-east of the village of Strensall, in the City of York, England. The land is recognised as an SSSI and a Special Area of Conservation, with much of it being owned and maintained by the Ministry of Defence who have a rifle range on its southern edge. Strensall Common is the only known site in England where the butterfly epione vespertaria has been recorded. The common was also noted historically as being a collection site for the thread of the araneus diadematus spider. The thread was used as a graticule in optical instruments.