Whippendell Wood

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.6717, -0.4483

Also within

Hertfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TQ073981 Favourable 1.19 2021-10-12
TQ077978 Favourable 65.49 2010-11-09

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
wood warbler Breeding

Description

Area,66.9 hectares 165.3 ac Description This is an ancient woodland site in the clay with flints region which retains large areas of semi natural vegetation. A complex of woodland habitats are present on the pebble clays and sandy soils with oak / hazel/ ash and oak / hornbeam being the major stand types. Both these woodland types have been much reduced in extent nationally and the former is also scarce in Hertfordshire. This is a large woodland in a predominantly urban and agricultural setting. Pedunculate oak / ash Quercus robur / Fraxinus excelsior high forest is an important element with a relatively open canopy and some trees reaching a height of thirty metres. Coppice with standards structure also exists where old hazel Corylus avellana coppice dominates the shrub layer and with hornbeam Carpinus betulus present elsewhere. Other scrub species include holly Ilex aquifolium, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and wild cherry Prunus avium with occasional spindle Euonymus europaeus. The ground flora is typical of such conditions and is dominated by Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum and bracken Pteridium aquilinum. Frequent under the hazel coppice are primrose Primula vulgaris and wood Spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides. Recent felling in a smallbroad leaved and mixed plantation has promoted such species as dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, sanicle Sanicula europaea, male fern Dryopteris filix-mas and broad buckler fern Dryopteris dilatata. A woodland ride and adjoining patch of neutral grassland with scattered silver birch Betula pendula adds to flora diversity with sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria frequent and twayblade Neottia ovata occasional. Sympathetic management has retained considerable amounts of dead wood encouraging a rich variety of fungi, for which the site is well known and a well developed invertebrate fauna. Several local insect species occur, with the moth Lead coloured Drab Orthosia populeti being especially notable. hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes and wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix are indicative of the diverse breeding bird community.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes EN (Breeding) bird-finch fringillidae
wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix VU (Breeding) bird-warbler phylloscopidae
broad buckler fern Dryopteris dilatata LC fern dryopteridaceae
male fern Dryopteris filix-mas LC fern dryopteridaceae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus LC grass poaceae
agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria LC herb rosaceae
wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides LC herb euphorbiaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum LC herb caprifoliaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
common twayblade Neottia ovata NT herb orchidaceae
primrose Primula vulgaris LC herb primulaceae
sanicle Sanicula europaea LC herb apiaceae
lead-coloured drab Orthosia populeti Not listed in GB list moth noctuidae
dogwood Cornus sanguinea LC shrub cornaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
spindle tree Euonymus europaeus LC shrub celastraceae
birch Betula pendula LC tree betulaceae
hornbeam Carpinus betulus LC tree betulaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
holly Ilex aquifolium LC tree aquifoliaceae
wild cherry Prunus avium LC tree rosaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae

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.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Oak lutestring
Cymatophorina diluta
Endangered Quercus robur
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp., Prunus spp.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spp.
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
Endangered Primula vulgaris
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Betula spp., Pteridium aquilinum
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Betula spp., Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Lonicera periclymenum, Quercus spp.
Marsh fritillary
Euphydryas aurinia
Vulnerable Lonicera periclymenum
White admiral
Limenitis camilla
Vulnerable Lonicera periclymenum
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Betula pendula, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp.
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Agrimonia eupatoria
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Betula pendula, Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Betula spp., Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Pteridium aquilinum
Light crimson underwing
Catocala promissa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing
Catocala sponsa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Heart moth
Dicycla oo
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Kentish glory
Endromis versicolora
Near Threatened Betula pendula
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Betula spp., Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Betula spp., Quercus spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Betula spp., Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Betula spp., Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
Wall
Lasiommata megera
Near Threatened Holcus lanatus
Clay fan-foot
Paracolax tristalis
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Common fan-foot
Pechipogo strigilata
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Frosted green
Polyploca ridens
Near Threatened Quercus robur
White prominent
Leucodonta bicoloria
Regionally Extinct Betula 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.

Plant communities

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 14 species from the description above: Betula pendula, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Dryopteris filix-mas, Euonymus europaeus, Fraxinus excelsior, Holcus lanatus, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Ilex aquifolium, Lonicera periclymenum, Mercurialis perennis, Pteridium aquilinum, Quercus robur

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Matches 11 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Crataegus monogyna, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Fraxinus excelsior, Holcus lanatus, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Lonicera periclymenum, Mercurialis perennis, Pteridium aquilinum, Quercus robur

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 7 species from the description above: Corylus avellana, Dryopteris filix-mas, Holcus lanatus, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Lonicera periclymenum, Mercurialis perennis, Pteridium aquilinum

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Dryopteris dilatata

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis