Mappp.co - Hucclecote Meadows

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Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (3)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SO871163	—	Favourable	1.68	2021-07-29
SO872161	—	Favourable	2.41	2018-07-16
SO873162	—	Favourable	1.67	2011-07-27

Habitats

Hedgerow scrub

Description

Area, 5.74 ha. 14.2 ac. Description A series of lowland meadows overlying Lower Lias clays in the Severn Vale near the outskirts of Gloucester. They represent one of the few remaining areas of such herb rich ancient pastures in the county and have traditionally been managed for hay and stock grazing. The meadows are exceptionally rich in plant species with variations in the relative abundance of particular species from one field to the next. The main grasses are generally Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, meadow fescue Schedonorus pratensis, crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis with other meadow species such as quaking grass Briza media, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, common bent Agrostis capillaris and meadow barley Hordeum secalinum. Herb species characteristic of such ancient meadow habitats here include large amounts of great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, cowslip Primula veris, devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, lady’s bedstraw Galium verum, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor and betony Betonica officinalis. Less abundant are plants such as pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, dyer’s greenweed Genista tinctoria, green winged orchid Anacamptis morio and the nationally rare corky fruited water dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides. Altogether the fields support some 75 different meadow species. The fields are bordered by very old hedges consisting largely of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and blackthorn Prunus spinosa with occasional hedgerow trees such as oak Quercus robur. A good range of butterflies have been recorded including meadow brown Maniola jurtina, marbled white Melanargia galatheaa, common blue Polyommatus icarus, grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae and small heath Coenonympha pamphilus.

Species mentioned

Show the 26 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
small heath	Coenonympha pamphilus	VU	butterfly	nymphalidae
meadow brown	Maniola jurtina	LC	butterfly	nymphalidae
common blue	Polyommatus icarus	LC	butterfly	lycaenidae
grizzled skipper	Pyrgus malvae	VU	butterfly	hesperiidae
common bent	Agrostis capillaris	LC	grass	poaceae
meadow foxtail	Alopecurus pratensis	LC	grass	poaceae
sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	LC	grass	poaceae
quaking grass	Briza media	VU	grass	poaceae
crested dog's tail	Cynosurus cristatus	LC	grass	poaceae
Yorkshire fog	Holcus lanatus	LC	grass	poaceae
meadow barley	Hordeum secalinum	LC	grass	poaceae
meaow fescue	Schedonorus pratensis	VU	grass	poaceae
green-winged orchid	Anacamptis morio	NT	herb	orchidaceae
betony	Betonica officinalis	VU	herb	lamiaceae
lady's bedstraw	Galium verum	LC	herb	rubiaceae
dyer's greenweed	Genista tinctoria	LC	herb	fabaceae
corky-fruited water-dropwort	Oenanthe pimpinelloides	LC	herb	apiaceae
cowslip	Primula veris	LC	herb	primulaceae
yellow-rattle	Rhinanthus minor	DD	herb	orobanchaceae
great burnet	Sanguisorba officinalis	LC	herb	rosaceae
saw wort	Serratula tinctoria	VU	herb	asteraceae
pepper saxifrage	Silaum silaus	EN	herb	saxifragaceae
devils-bit scabious	Succisa pratensis	VU	herb	caprifoliaceae
hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	LC	shrub	rosaceae
blackthorn	Prunus spinosa	LC	shrub	rosaceae
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
Reddish buff Acosmetia caliginosa	Critically Endangered	Serratula tinctoria
Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta	Endangered	Quercus robur
Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp.
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp.
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina	Endangered	Primula veris
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Black hairstreak Satyrium pruni	Endangered	Prunus spinosa
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp., Serratula tinctoria
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Succisa pratensis
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Galium spp., Rhinanthus minor
White-line dart Euxoa tritici	Vulnerable	Galium verum
Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata	Vulnerable	Genista tinctoria
Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae	Vulnerable	Prunus spinosa
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria	Vulnerable	Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Prunus spinosa
Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Cynosurus cristatus
Heart moth Dicycla oo	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp.
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	Quercus spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Galium spp.
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Betonica officinalis, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp., Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp.
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Holcus lanatus
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
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata	Near Threatened	Galium spp.

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

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 4 species from the description above: Crataegus monogyna, Holcus lanatus, Prunus spinosa, Quercus robur

Show 81 indicator species

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 3 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Holcus lanatus, Prunus spinosa

Show 49 indicator species

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas

W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub

Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 3 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Holcus lanatus

Show 40 indicator species

Hedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum