Cribb's Lodge Meadows
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK899187 | — | Favourable | 1.15 | 2023-08-02 |
| SK899188 | — | Favourable | 3.01 | 2023-08-02 |
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Glacial
Description
Area,4.41 hectares 10.89 ac Description The site contains some of the best examples of species rich neutral grasslands in Leicestershire and is representative of grassland on clay soils in the English Midlands. The site is included within the 'Nature Conservation Review'. Biology Cribbs Lodge Meadows, developed on soils derived from glacial Boulder Clays, comprise two ridge and furrow meadows separated by a disused railway line. The sward is characteristic of neutral clay soils and is dominated by sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius, meadow fescue Schedonorus pratensis and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus. The herb flora includes such typical plants as adder's tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, pignut Conopodium majus, hay rattle Rhinanthus minor, burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga and a colony of green winged orchid Anacamptis morio. Additional interest is provided by the presence within the meadows of two field ponds and their fringing vegetation.
Species mentioned
Show the 10 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 |
| sweet vernal grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| false oat grass | Arrhenatherum elatius | LC | grass | poaceae |
| Yorkshire fog | Holcus lanatus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| meaow fescue | Schedonorus pratensis | VU | grass | poaceae |
| green-winged orchid | Anacamptis morio | NT | herb | orchidaceae |
| pignut | Conopodium majus | LC | herb | apiaceae |
| burnet saxifrage | Pimpinella saxifraga | NT | herb | apiaceae |
| yellow-rattle | Rhinanthus minor | DD | herb | orobanchaceae |
| pepper saxifrage | Silaum silaus | EN | herb | saxifragaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Rhinanthus minor |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Holcus lanatus |
| Rosy minor Litoligia literosa |
Near Threatened | Arrhenatherum elatius |
| Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
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.