Balsham Wood

Also within

Cambridgeshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Coppiced woodland

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Glacial Till

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area, 34.6 hectares 85.7 ac Description Balsham Wood holds woodland community types of ancient origin and of a type geographically restricted to lowland England. The woodland represents one of the few remaining areas of ancient ash maple woodland on the chalky Boulder Clay and contains a rich assemblage of plants including a population of oxlip Primula elatior, a species which is restricted to a few sites in eastern England. The woodland is dominated by coppice of ash Fraxinus excelsior and field maple Acer campestre with hazel Corylus avellana. Mature oak Quercus robur standards are present in parts of the wood. Of particular note is the presence of coppiced hornbeam Carpinus betulus which occurs here at the edge of its geographic range in Britain. A good variety of shrubs are present, including dogwood Cornus sanguinea and wild privet Ligustrum vulgare. The ground flora is typically rich and of the dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta type together with such species as herb paris Paris quadrifolia, early purple orchid Orchis mascula and, of special note, sweet woodruff Galium odoratum, orpine Sedum telephium and wood sanicle Sanicula europaea. This is one of very few Cambridgeshire woods where primrose Primula vulgaris occurs on the same site as oxlip. Where open grassy rides occur additional habitat variety is provided and herbs such as bugle Ajuga reptans and wood sedge Carex sylvatica occur.

Species mentioned

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.