Honeypot Wood, Wendling

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.6925, 0.8586

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Norfolk County

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Recovering (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TF932143 Unfavourable Recovering 9.51 2010-09-16

Description

Area, 9.03 hectares 22.31 ac Description A good example of an ancient, coppiced, ash maple wood on calcareous soil. The wood has a vigorous shrub layer which includes species such as ash Fraxinus excelsior, hazel Corylus avellana, field maple Acer campestre and willow Salix caprea agg. as well as smaller shrubs such as dogwood Cornus sanguinea, blackthorn Prunus spinosa and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna. There are some standard trees, mostly oak Quercus robur and ash. The long history of continuous coppicing has favoured the development of a rich ground vegetation, which is dominated by dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis and includes many plants typical of ancient woodlands including, bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta, herb paris Paris quadrifolia, broad helleborine Epipactis helleborine, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, twayblade Neottia ovata and greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha. The rides, although many of them were concreted in the Second World War, provide suitable conditions for other species, notably hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica, water avens Geum rivale and biting stonecrop Sedum acre. In all, 208 plant species have been recorded from this wood.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
wood anemone Anemone nemorosa LC herb ranunculaceae
broad-leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine DD herb orchidaceae
water avens Geum rivale LC herb rosaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
common twayblade Neottia ovata NT herb orchidaceae
herb paris Paris quadrifolia VU herb melanthiaceae
greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha NT herb orchidaceae
wall-pepper Sedum acre LC herb crassulaceae
hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica LC herb lamiaceae
dogwood Cornus sanguinea LC shrub cornaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
blackthorn Prunus spinosa LC shrub rosaceae
field maple Acer campestre LC tree aceraceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae
goat willow Salix caprea LC tree shrub salicaceae

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 spinosa, Prunus spp.
Maple pug
Eupithecia inturbata
Endangered Acer campestre
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Salix spp.
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix spp.
Black hairstreak
Satyrium pruni
Endangered Prunus spinosa
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Salix caprea
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp., Salix spp.
Scarce chocolate-tip
Clostera anachoreta
Vulnerable Salix spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Salix spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp., Salix spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix caprea
Brown hairstreak
Thecla betulae
Vulnerable Prunus spinosa
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix spp.
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Salix spp.
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp.
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Salix caprea
Purple emperor
Apatura iris
Near Threatened Salix caprea
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Prunus spinosa
Minor shoulder-knot
Brachylomia viminalis
Near Threatened Salix caprea
Light crimson underwing
Catocala promissa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing
Catocala sponsa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Salix spp.
Dingy mocha
Cyclophora pendularia
Near Threatened Salix caprea
Heart moth
Dicycla oo
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp., Salix spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria
Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Salix spp.
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Salix spp.
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

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 10 species from the description above: Anemone nemorosa, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis, Prunus spinosa, Quercus robur, Stachys sylvatica

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

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 6 species from the description above: Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Mercurialis perennis, Prunus spinosa, Stachys sylvatica

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

W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub

Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum