Mappp.co - West Farm Meadow, Boldon

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Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable No Change (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
NZ358621	—	Unfavourable No Change	3.08	2024-02-26

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

Description West Farm Meadow, Boldon, is important as one of very few surviving semi natural hay meadows in the coastal plain between the Rivers Tyne and Tees. Although once widespread such species rich fields are now severely restricted in distribution because of extensive urbanisation and agricultural intensification. Much of this meadow is characterised by an abundance of great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, a species which, in northern England is indicative of traditionally managed hay meadows. Typically for such meadows sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus are the dominant grasses. Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, cat’s ear Hypochaeris radicata, bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, pignut Conopodium majus, common sorrel Rumex acetosa and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor are among other characteristic herbs which bring colour to the meadow.

Species mentioned

Show the 12 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
sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	LC	grass	poaceae
crested dog's tail	Cynosurus cristatus	LC	grass	poaceae
Yorkshire fog	Holcus lanatus	LC	grass	poaceae
pignut	Conopodium majus	LC	herb	apiaceae
cat's-ear	Hypochaeris radicata	LC	herb	asteraceae
meadow vetchling	Lathyrus pratensis	LC	herb	fabaceae
rough hawkbit	Leontodon hispidus	LC	herb	asteraceae
oxeye daisy	Leucanthemum vulgare	LC	herb	asteraceae
birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	LC	herb	fabaceae
yellow-rattle	Rhinanthus minor	DD	herb	orobanchaceae
common sorrel	Rumex acetosa	LC	herb	polygonaceae
great burnet	Sanguisorba officinalis	LC	herb	rosaceae

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
Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Rumex acetosa
Fiery clearwing Pyropteron chrysidiformis	Endangered	Rumex acetosa
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Rumex spp.
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Rhinanthus minor
Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	Rumex spp.
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Rumex spp.
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Rumex spp.
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Rumex spp.
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	Lathyrus pratensis
The sallow Cirrhia icteritia	Near Threatened	Rumex spp.
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Cynosurus cristatus
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Rumex spp.
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Holcus lanatus
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata	Near Threatened	Rumex 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.