Monkspath Meadow
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP145763 | — | Favourable | 0.97 | 2012-06-21 |
Description
Description This site is the best example of a species rich, unimproved hay meadow in the West Midlands County. The pasture has developed on either side of a shallow valley. The grassland consists predominantly of common bent Agrostis capillaris, red fescue Festuca rubra, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus and tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa. This turf also contains a rich variety of herbs including cowslip Primula veris, betony Betonica officinalis, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, saw wort Serratula tinctoria and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor. There are localised damp patches dominated by rushes Juncus spp. with the unusual presence of mat grass Nardus stricta. The wetter areas also contain a number of rarer plants including dense stands of meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum. Spotted orchids Dactylorhiza maculata agg. are scattered throughout the area.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| common bent | Agrostis capillaris | LC | grass | poaceae |
| tufted hair grass | Deschampsia cespitosa | LC | grass | poaceae |
| red fescue | Festuca rubra | LC | grass | poaceae |
| Yorkshire fog | Holcus lanatus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| mat grass | Nardus stricta | LC | grass | poaceae |
| betony | Betonica officinalis | VU | herb | lamiaceae |
| meadow thistle | Cirsium dissectum | EN | herb | asteraceae |
| heath spotted orchid | Dactylorhiza maculata | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| dyer's greenweed | Genista tinctoria | LC | herb | fabaceae |
| cowslip | Primula veris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| yellow-rattle | Rhinanthus minor | DD | herb | orobanchaceae |
| great burnet | Sanguisorba officinalis | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| saw wort | Serratula tinctoria | VU | herb | asteraceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reddish buff Acosmetia caliginosa |
Critically Endangered | Serratula tinctoria |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Serratula tinctoria |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Rhinanthus minor |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra |
| Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata |
Vulnerable | Genista tinctoria |
| The anomalous Stilbia anomala |
Vulnerable | Deschampsia cespitosa |
| Hedge rustic Tholera cespitis |
Vulnerable | Nardus stricta |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Festuca spp., Nardus stricta |
| Small mountain ringlet Erebia epiphron |
Near Threatened | Nardus stricta |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Holcus lanatus |
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.