Red Hill
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TF264806 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 3.25 | 2009-07-14 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area,3.0 ha Description This site includes one of the only two Lincolnshire permanent chalk grassland areas which survives onan escarpment too steep for cultivation. Adjoining species rich grassland is associated with an old quarry with an exposure of red chalk which gives the site its name. The turf is typically dominated in parts by upright brome Bromus erectus and tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum in association with lime, requiring plants like salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, marjoram Origanum vulgare and burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga. Plants scarce and diminishing in the county which are found here in abundance are eyebright Euphrasia officinalis, yellow rattler Rhinanthus minor, basil thyme Thymus arvensis, rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, bee orchid Ophyrs apifera and pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis. The vetches support good numbers of butterflies, including the common blue. This is one of the few sites in the county where kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria occurs on the chalk. Several studies of the invertebrate populations confirm high density and diversity, particularly of leaf hoppers and spiders. Detailed records include over 50 species of beetle, 40 species of bug and 15 species of land snail.
Species mentioned
Show the 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tor grass | Brachypodium pinnatum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| upright brome | Bromus erectus | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| pyramidal orchid | Anacamptis pyramidalis | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| lady's fingers (kidney vetch) | Anthyllis vulneraria | NT | herb | fabaceae |
| English sticky eyebright | Euphrasia officinalis | LC | herb | orobanchaceae |
| rock roses | Helianthemum nummularium | VU | herb | cistaceae |
| bee orchid | Ophyrs apifera | Not listed in GB list | herb | orchidaceae |
| wild marjoram | Origanum vulgare | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| burnet saxifrage | Pimpinella saxifraga | NT | herb | apiaceae |
| salad burnet | Poterium sanguisorba | VU | herb | rosaceae |
| yellow-rattle | Rhinanthus minor | DD | herb | orobanchaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Origanum vulgare |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Poterium sanguisorba |
| Northern brown Aricia artaxerxes |
Vulnerable | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Helianthemum nummularium, Rhinanthus minor |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Poterium sanguisorba |
| Small blue Cupido minimus |
Near Threatened | Anthyllis vulneraria |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
| Silky wave Idaea dilutaria |
Near Threatened | Helianthemum nummularium |
| Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
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.