Caldecote Meadows

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.2023, -0.0287

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Also within

Cambridgeshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (4)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TL347577 — Favourable 2.34 2012-07-02
TL348576 — Favourable 1.81 2012-07-02
TL348578 — Favourable 3.19 2012-07-02
TL348580 — Favourable 1.75 2012-07-02

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Description

Area, 9.2 hectares 22.7 ac Description Caldecote Meadows is an area of herb rich grassland of a calcareous loam type, holding plant communities which are of nationally restricted distribution. Meadows of this type were once widespread throughout Cambridgeshire but are now scarce in the county. The grassland holds a range of plant species typical to the calcareous loam community including salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, quaking grass Briza media, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris and cowslip Primula veris. This variety of plants has been retained as a result of traditional management by grazing and hay cutting. Hedgerows, trees and a stream provide areas of additional wildlife value on the site.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
quaking grass Briza media VU grass poaceae
dropwort Filipendula vulgaris LC herb rosaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
cowslip Primula veris LC herb primulaceae

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
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina		 Endangered Primula veris
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis		 Vulnerable Poterium sanguisorba
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae		 Vulnerable Poterium sanguisorba

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

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa