Odell Great Wood
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP955590 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 18.72 | 2022-06-01 |
| SP957587 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 13.68 | 2022-06-01 |
| SP958592 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 22.06 | 2022-06-01 |
| SP961587 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 31.49 | 2022-06-01 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Glacial Till
Landscape processes: Glacial
Description
Area, 85.69 hectares 211.74 ac Description A large and mostly unspoilt example of wet ash maple woodland with an exceptionally rich flora. It is in many respects the best example in Bedfordshire of this type of woodland, which has become increasingly scarce throughout its range in southern and eastern England. The dominant tree species are ash Fraxinus excelsior and oak Quercus robur over a well developed shrub layer which includes hazel Corylus avellana, field maple Acer campestre, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and privet Ligustrum vulgare. The diversity of wood species reflects the variation in soils from neutral Boulder Clay in the northern part to more calcareous soils derived from the great Oolite over the majority of the wood. This has given rise to an extremely rich ground flora, including many local rarities such as wild daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus and herb paris Paris quadrifolia. The extensive and well developed system of rides is another important feature, adding greatly to the value of the site for flowering plants, butterflies and other invertebrates.
Species mentioned
Show the 8 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wild daffodil | Narcissus pseudonarcissus | LC | herb | amaryllidaceae |
| herb paris | Paris quadrifolia | VU | herb | melanthiaceae |
| dogwood | Cornus sanguinea | LC | shrub | cornaceae |
| wild privet | Ligustrum vulgare | LC | shrub | oleaceae |
| field maple | Acer campestre | LC | tree | aceraceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
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.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus robur |
| Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata |
Endangered | Acer campestre |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp. |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Heart moth Dicycla oo |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria |
Near Threatened | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Clay fan-foot Paracolax tristalis |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Common fan-foot Pechipogo strigilata |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Frosted green Polyploca ridens |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
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.