Burbage Wood and Aston Firs
Also within
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP449939 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 8.94 | 2023-05-17 |
| SP450942 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 12.95 | 2023-05-17 |
| SP452940 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 8.94 | 2023-05-17 |
| SP453942 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 4.59 | 2023-04-19 |
| SP455939 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 24.67 | 2023-05-17 |
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Glacial Till
Landscape processes: Glacial
Description
Area,52.01 ha128.51 ac Description The site comprises one of the best remaining examples of ash oak maple woodland in Leicestershire and is representative of semi natural woodland developed on the clays of eastern England. Biology Burbage Wood and Aston Firs have developed on rather poorly drained soils derived from the underlying Glacial Boulder Clay. The woodland canopy is dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior and oak Quercus robur and contains some wych elm Ulmus glabra and English elm Ulmus procera. The shrub layer is dominated by hazel Corylus avellana and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, but also includes field maple Acer campestre, privet Ligustrum vulgare, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and rowan Sorbus aucuparia. The ground vegetation is characterised by an abundance of honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, bramble Rubus fruticosus, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, rough meadow grass Poa trivialis and tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa and includes a large number of plant species typical of semi natural woodland such as sweet woodruff Asperula oderata, moschatel Adoxa moschatellina, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon, water avens Geum rivale and several species of woodland orchids.
Species mentioned
Show the 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wood false brome | Brachypodium sylvaticum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| tufted hair grass | Deschampsia cespitosa | LC | grass | poaceae |
| rough meadow grass | Poa trivialis | LC | grass | poaceae |
| moschatel | Adoxa moschatellina | LC | herb | adoxaceae |
| water avens | Geum rivale | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| bluebell | Hyacinthoides non-scripta | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| yellow archangel | Lamiastrum galeobdolon | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| honeysuckle | Lonicera periclymenum | LC | herb | caprifoliaceae |
| bramble | Rubus fruticosus | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| dogwood | Cornus sanguinea | LC | shrub | cornaceae |
| hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
| wild privet | Ligustrum vulgare | LC | shrub | oleaceae |
| 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 |
| rowan | Sorbus aucuparia | LC | tree | rosaceae |
| wych elm | Ulmus glabra | LC | tree | ulmaceae |
| English elm | Ulmus procera | LC | tree | ulmaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chequered skipper Carterocephalus palaemon |
Endangered | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus robur |
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Crataegus spp. |
| Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata |
Endangered | Acer campestre |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Crataegus monogyna |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus, Ulmus spp. |
| White-letter hairstreak Satyrium w-album |
Endangered | Ulmus glabra, Ulmus spp. |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Rubus fruticosus, Ulmus spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Lonicera periclymenum, Quercus spp., Sorbus aucuparia, Ulmus spp. |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Lonicera periclymenum |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Brachypodium sylvaticum, Deschampsia cespitosa |
| White admiral Limenitis camilla |
Vulnerable | Lonicera periclymenum |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus, Ulmus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Ulmus glabra |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Rubus fruticosus |
| The anomalous Stilbia anomala |
Vulnerable | Deschampsia cespitosa |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Sorbus aucuparia |
| Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dusky-lemon sallow Cirrhia gilvago |
Near Threatened | Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Ulmus glabra |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Poa spp. |
| Heart moth Dicycla oo |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Ulmus 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 |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| 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.