Wickenby Wood

Also within

Lincolnshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Description The most extensive and finest examples of ancient lime woodland in Britain occur in the Bardney Forest of Lincolnshire. Wickenby Wood is an example outlying from the central group of lime woods and it is notable for its uniform wetness and alkaline soil. It therefore represents an important aspect of the range of variation of this nationally scarce woodland type. Areas are dominated by small leaved lime Tilia cordata, willows Salix spp. are locally common and there are large amounts of maple Acer campestre associated with ash Fraxinus excelsior. The more acid areas are typified by a canopy of pedunculate oak Quercus robur and ash with hazel Corylus avellana forming the understorey. Wild service Sorbus torminalis, guelder rose Viburnum opulus, spindle Euonymus europaeus and alder buckthorn Frangula alnus are all associated with the alkaline soils. The ground flora is dominated over large areas by dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis though in the west it is replaced by blackberry Rubus fruticosus and ground ivy Glechoma hederacea. There are six species of orchid including the bird's nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis. The scarce herb paris Paris quadrifolia is associated with bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, primrose Primula vulgaris and wood anemone Anemone nemorosa. The wet rides are particularly species rich with sedges, rushes and plants typical of wet clay such as ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi, common fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica and purple loose strife Lythrum salicaria. The non flowering plants have been well documented and the wood is notable for the variety of fungi. Breeding birds include the typical woodland species of woodcock, tree creeper and nightingale. Amongst the numerous species of moth recorded is the nationally local and restricted light orange underwing Archiearis notha, occurring here because of the abundance of aspen Populus tremula.

Species mentioned

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.

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.