Weaveley and Sand Woods
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL225541 | — | Favourable | 46.97 | 2007-05-10 |
| TL231536 | — | Favourable | 15.07 | 2007-05-10 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic · Rock Type: Glacial Till, Greensand
Landscape processes: Glacial
Description
Area, 76 hectares 187 ac Description The woodland is ancient in origin and of the ash maple type which is restricted to lowland England and is a declining habitat. The site is of additional interest for the influence and range of the underlying geology. It straddles a number of geological formations from ill drained boulder clay and Jurassic clays to free draining Lower Greensand. Few other ancient woods in Cambridgeshire possess this variation in terms of geology. The woods are essentially a mixture of coppiced ash Fraxinus excelsior, coppiced field maple Acer campestre with pedunculate oak Quercus robur standards and hazel Corylus avellana predominant in the shrub layer. Elm Ulmus spp. has invaded parts of the wood. The ground flora is typically of dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis and bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta with early purple orchid Orchis mascula. Rides and clearings in the wood support their own characteristic flora which includes plants such as the common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii and adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum. Some uncommon species are present in the wood including herb paris Paris quadrifolia, butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha and pignut Conopodium majus.
Species mentioned
Show the 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| adders-tongue fern | Ophioglossum vulgatum | LC | fern | ophioglossaceae |
| pignut | Conopodium majus | LC | herb | apiaceae |
| spotted orchids | Dactylorhiza fuchsii | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| bluebell | Hyacinthoides non-scripta | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| dog's mercury | Mercurialis perennis | LC | herb | euphorbiaceae |
| early purple orchid | Orchis mascula | LC | herb | orchidaceae |
| herb paris | Paris quadrifolia | VU | herb | melanthiaceae |
| greater butterfly orchid | Platanthera chlorantha | NT | herb | orchidaceae |
| 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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus robur |
| Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata |
Endangered | Acer campestre |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp. |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| 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 |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Corylus avellana, Quercus 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 |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Quercus 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.