Micheldever Spoil Heaps
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SU517439 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 1.7 | 2013-10-08 |
| SU518438 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 3.75 | 2008-04-22 |
| SU519446 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 5.28 | 2013-10-08 |
| SU520450 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 0.98 | 2013-10-08 |
| SU521442 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 20.41 | 2013-10-08 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 31.12 hectares Description Nineteenth Century chalk spoil heaps, derived from railway cuttings and now exhibiting various stages of colonisation by a range of plant communities. The site is of quite exceptional botanical importance. About 150 species of plant were recorded in a survey in 1969, but this is certainly not exhaustive. Most species appear to have been recruited from adjoining or nearby downland habitats bu to thers have evidently colonised from a distance. The whole plant assemblage remains in a condition of ecological flux. Of particular nature conservation interest is the occurrence of many rare or local plants. thrift Armeria maritima occurs in a totally atypical habitat. There are exceptionally large populations of fly orchids Ophrys insectifera.
Species mentioned
Show the 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| thrift | Armeria maritima | CR | herb | plumbaginaceae |
| fly orchid | Ophrys insectifera | VU | herb | orchidaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Armeria maritima |
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.