Debdale Meadow, Muston
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK835393 | — | Favourable | 4.33 | 2010-06-08 |
Description
Description This meadow is an outstanding example of a traditionally managed neutral grassland, supporting a wide range of plants that are characteristic of the clay soils of the Midlands. Unimproved meadows of this type are now rare in lowland Britain. The meadow lies on Lias clay and slopes gently to the north east. The higher ground exhibits the pronounced ridge and furrow pattern left by medieval cultivation. The grassland is dominated by crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and red fescue Festuca rubra, although upright brome Bromus erectus is locally abundant on the drier ridges. Common bent Agrostis capillaris, common knapweed Centaurea nigra, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, common bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, cowslip Primula veris, bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus and betony Betonica officinalis are abundant throughout, whilst pignut Conopodium majus, lady's bedstraw Galium verum, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, saw wort Serratula tinctoria and yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens are locally frequent. Other notable species include quaking grass Briza media, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris and adder's tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum.
Species mentioned
Show the 20 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusInsects 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 |
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Centaurea nigra, Lotus corniculatus |
| New forest Zygaena viciae |
Critically Endangered | Lotus corniculatus |
| Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria |
Endangered | Lotus corniculatus |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Wood white Leptidea sinapis |
Endangered | Lotus corniculatus |
| Slender scotch Zygaena loti |
Endangered | Lotus corniculatus |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Lotus corniculatus, Serratula tinctoria |
| Dingy skipper Erynnis tages |
Vulnerable | Lotus corniculatus |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Centaurea spp., Galium spp. |
| White-line dart Euxoa tritici |
Vulnerable | Galium verum |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca rubra |
| Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Lotus corniculatus |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Ranunculus spp. |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp. |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Galium spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis, Centaurea spp. |
| Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae |
Near Threatened | Centaurea nigra |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Holcus lanatus |
| Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata |
Near Threatened | Galium spp. |
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.