Whetley Meadows
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SY529962 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 1.07 | 2011-06-08 |
| SY529964 | — | Favourable | 7.02 | 2011-06-08 |
Habitats
Description
Whetley Meadows SSSI Description These fields, lying on the Lower Fullers Earth Clay and Corallian Beds, support an exceptionally diverse flora reflecting a long history of traditional management for hay. A stretch of disused railway line with a rich bank flora is also included in this site. Sixteen species of grasses are present including frequent meadow fescue Schedonorus pratensis, downy oat Avenula pubescens and quaking grass Briza media. Several sedges occur, with glaucous sedge Carex flacca the most widespread. Adder’s-tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum, an indicator of old grassland is locally abundant, particularly in the most eastern field. Among the numerous flowering plants of these meadows are cowslip Primula veris, knapweed Centaurea nigra, ox-eye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, hoary ragwort Senecio erucifolius and pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus. Several orchids occur: green-winged orchid Anacamptis morio flowers in the early summer and is followed by common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis and bee orchid Ophrys apifera. Hedges containing a variety of trees and shrubs add diversity to the site with ash Fraxinus excelsior, pedunculate oak Quercus robur, maple Acer campestre, blackthorn Prunus spinosa, hazel Corylus avellana and dogwood Cornus sanguinea. The railway bank supports scrub and drier calcareous swards dominated by red fescue Festuca rubra and false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum with the local dyer’s greenweed Genista tinctoria particularly abundant. Other herbs of the railway bank include hoary plantain Plantago media, hairy violet Viola hirta, marjoram Origanum vulgare and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor.
Species mentioned
Show the 27 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusInsects 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 |
|---|---|---|
| High brown fritillary Fabriciana adippe |
Critically Endangered | Viola hirta |
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Centaurea nigra, Origanum vulgare |
| Chequered skipper Carterocephalus palaemon |
Endangered | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus robur |
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata |
Endangered | Acer campestre |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp. |
| Least minor Photedes captiuncula |
Endangered | Carex flacca |
| Black hairstreak Satyrium pruni |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp. |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Plantago spp. |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Centaurea spp., Rhinanthus minor |
| Garden dart Euxoa nigricans |
Vulnerable | Plantago spp. |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Brachypodium sylvaticum, Festuca rubra |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp. |
| Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata |
Vulnerable | Genista tinctoria |
| Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp. |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Plantago spp., 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 | Festuca spp. |
| Heart moth Dicycla oo |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Corylus avellana, Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp., Quercus spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria |
Near Threatened | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Plantago spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Centaurea spp., Prunus spinosa |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp. |
| Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae |
Near Threatened | Centaurea nigra |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Rosy minor Litoligia literosa |
Near Threatened | Carex flacca |
| 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.
Plant communities
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 7 species from the description above: Brachypodium sylvaticum, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Origanum vulgare, Prunus spinosa, Quercus robur
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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 5 species from the description above: Acer campestre, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Corylus avellana, Festuca rubra, Prunus spinosa
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Matches 3 species from the description above: Carex flacca, Festuca rubra, Rhinanthus minor
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis