Honington Camp

Also within

Lincolnshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Limestone

Description

Area,1.2 hectares Description The earth banks and central portion of this iron age fort support a rich limestone flora with species which are scarce and decreasing in the county. Where there is shelter from the wind, especially along the south facing banks, the area is a sanctuary for butterflies. Biology The banks are dominated by tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum and upright brome Bromus erectus. These are typical of base rich soils and are found with yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, crested hair grass Koeleria macrantha and quaking grass Briza media. Herbs associated with this kind of grassland are also concentrated on the banks where common rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, cowslip Primula veris and harebell Campanula rotundifolia occur. Members of the pea family, some of which are food plants for common blue butterflies, include kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria, purple milk vetch Astragalus danicus, horse shoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa and common bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. In one area there is a well established colony of pasque flower Pulsatilla vulgaris which is only known from one other site in the county. In level areas where coarse grasses like cock's foot Dactylis glomerata and tall oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius dominate, there are nevertheless some interesting herbs like wild carrot Daucus carota, field scabious Knautia arvensis and greater knapweed Centaurea scabiosa and these are areas favoured by insects including grasshoppers. Six species of land snails have been recorded.

Species mentioned

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.

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.