Mappp.co - East Wood, Great Casterton

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Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable No Change (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
TF004116	—	Unfavourable No Change	6.65	2023-10-17

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Limestone

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Description The site comprises one of the best remaining semi natural woodlands in Leicestershire and is representative of semi natural woodland on clay soils in Central England. Biology A fine example of ash oak wych elm woodland developed on soils derived from boulder clays of glacial origin which overlie great Oolite Limestone. The wood is dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior and oak Quercus robur, with wych elm Ulmus glabra locally frequent, while small leaved lime Tilia cordata and wild Service tree Sorbus torminalis are of occasional occurrence. A range of shrub species is present characterised by privet Ligustrum vulgare, dogwood Cornus sanguinea, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, hazel Corylus avellana and spindle Euonymus europaeus. In wetter areas the ground flora is dominated by tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, but on the better drained soils a diverse flora typical of ancient woodlands is present including such characteristic plants as wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, sweet woodruff Asperula odorata, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon and primrose Primula vulgaris, together with a number of plant species which are of uncommon or rare occurrence in Leicestershire. A sinuous wood bank occurs along part of the woodland boundary.

Species mentioned

Show the 14 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
tufted hair grass	Deschampsia cespitosa	LC	grass	poaceae
wood anemone	Anemone nemorosa	LC	herb	ranunculaceae
sweet woodruff	Asperula odorata	Not listed in GB list	herb	rubiaceae
yellow archangel	Lamiastrum galeobdolon	LC	herb	lamiaceae
primrose	Primula vulgaris	LC	herb	primulaceae
dogwood	Cornus sanguinea	LC	shrub	cornaceae
hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	LC	shrub	rosaceae
spindle tree	Euonymus europaeus	LC	shrub	celastraceae
wild privet	Ligustrum vulgare	LC	shrub	oleaceae
hazel	Corylus avellana	LC	tree	corylaceae
ash	Fraxinus excelsior	LC	tree	oleaceae
common oak	Quercus robur	LC	tree	fagaceae
lime small leaved	Tilia cordata	LC	tree	malvaceae
wych elm	Ulmus glabra	LC	tree	ulmaceae

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
Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta	Endangered	Quercus robur
Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	Crataegus monogyna
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina	Endangered	Primula vulgaris
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
White-letter hairstreak Satyrium w-album	Endangered	Ulmus glabra, Ulmus spp.
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Tilia spp., Ulmus spp.
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Ulmus spp.
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Deschampsia cespitosa
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Tilia spp., Ulmus glabra
The anomalous Stilbia anomala	Vulnerable	Deschampsia cespitosa
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria	Vulnerable	Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Dusky-lemon sallow Cirrhia gilvago	Near Threatened	Ulmus glabra
The sallow Cirrhia icteritia	Near Threatened	Ulmus glabra
Heart moth Dicycla oo	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	Quercus spp., Tilia spp.
Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria	Near Threatened	Fraxinus excelsior
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp., Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
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
Scarce hook-tip Sabra harpagula	Near Threatened	Tilia cordata

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.