Mappp.co - Mather Wood

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Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SK724592	—	Unfavourable Recovering	8.03	2015-07-10

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Area, 8.12 hectares Description The site comprises one of the best remaining examples of ash oak maple woodland in Nottinghamshire and is representative of semi natural woodland on clay soils in Central and Eastern England. Biology A fine example of an ash oak maple wood developed on stiff, rather poorly drained soils derived primarily from the Triassic Keuper Marl. Mather Wood is one of the wetter woods in the Keuper Marl series being dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior, oak Quercus robur, birch Betula spp. and locally, aspen Populus tremula. The shrub layer is characterised by hazel Corylus avellana, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and field maple Acer campestre, while the ground flora is dominated by honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, bramble Rubus fruticosus and rough meadow grass Poa trivialis. The wood contains a diverse flora typical of ancient clay woods including such plants as primrose Primula vulgaris, sweet woodruff Asperula odorata, valerian Valeriana officinalis and wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella.

Species mentioned

Show the 13 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
rough meadow grass	Poa trivialis	LC	grass	poaceae
sweet woodruff	Asperula odorata	Not listed in GB list	herb	rubiaceae
honeysuckle	Lonicera periclymenum	LC	herb	caprifoliaceae
wood sorrel	Oxalis acetosella	LC	herb	oxalidaceae
primrose	Primula vulgaris	LC	herb	primulaceae
bramble	Rubus fruticosus	LC	herb	rosaceae
common valerian	Valeriana officinalis	LC	herb	caprifoliaceae
hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	LC	shrub	rosaceae
field maple	Acer campestre	LC	tree	aceraceae
hazel	Corylus avellana	LC	tree	corylaceae
ash	Fraxinus excelsior	LC	tree	oleaceae
aspen	Populus tremula	LC	tree	salicaceae
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
Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
Dark bordered beauty Epione vespertaria	Endangered	Populus tremula
Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata	Endangered	Acer campestre
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	Crataegus monogyna
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina	Endangered	Primula vulgaris
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Populus spp., Quercus spp.
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus
Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta	Vulnerable	Populus spp., Populus tremula
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Lonicera periclymenum, Populus tremula, Quercus spp.
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Lonicera periclymenum
White admiral Limenitis camilla	Vulnerable	Lonicera periclymenum
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Populus spp., Quercus spp.
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Populus spp., Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria	Vulnerable	Quercus robur
No common name Zeugophora turneri	Vulnerable	Populus tremula
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Purple emperor Apatura iris	Near Threatened	Populus tremula
Minor shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis	Near Threatened	Populus tremula
Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
The sallow Cirrhia icteritia	Near Threatened	Populus spp.
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Poa spp.
Heart moth Dicycla oo	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Populus spp., Quercus spp.
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	Quercus spp.
Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria	Near Threatened	Fraxinus excelsior
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna, Populus tremula
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp., 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.