Dunsdale Hollow
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SJ513762 | — | Favourable | 6.85 | 2007-10-04 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Sandstone
Description
Description Dunsdale Hollow occurs on a steep north west facing escarpment of Upper Mottled and Keuper Sandstone. It is an acidic lowland birch Betula spp. and sessile oak Quercus petraea woodland. This type of woodland is often found in the uplands but its occurrence in a lowland landscape is very unusual and it is found on only one other site in Cheshire on the Peckforton Hills. Birch, sessile oak and pedunculate oak Quercus robur are all abundant throughout the woodland and rowan Sorbus aucuparia is frequent. The ground flora which is typically poor in species is composed of wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa, broad buckler fern Dryopteris dilatata, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. Less abundant are heather Calluna vulgaris, bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus and climbing corydalis Corydalis claviculata. On the steep banks of the sandstone outcrops there are good stands of great wood rush Luzula sylvatica, an uncommon plant in Cheshire. An open glade leading to the bottom of the slope is dominated by bracken Pteridium aquilinum.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| broad buckler fern | Dryopteris dilatata | LC | fern | dryopteridaceae |
| bracken | Pteridium aquilinum | LC | fern | dennstaedtiaceae |
| wavy hair grass | Deschampsia flexuosa | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| corydalis | Corydalis claviculata | Not listed in GB list | herb | fumariaceae |
| bluebell | Hyacinthoides non-scripta | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| bramble | Rubus fruticosus agg. | Not listed in GB list | herb | rosaceae |
| great wood rush | Luzula sylvatica | LC | rush | juncaceae |
| billberry | Vaccinium myrtillus | LC | shrub | ericaceae |
| bell heather or ling | Calluna vulgaris | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |
| sessile or durmast oak | Quercus petraea | LC | tree | fagaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
| rowan | Sorbus aucuparia | LC | tree | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Speckled footman Coscinia cribraria |
Critically Endangered | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus petraea, Quercus robur |
| Shoulder-striped clover Heliothis maritima |
Endangered | Calluna vulgaris |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Pteridium aquilinum, Rubus fruticosus, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp., Sorbus aucuparia, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| True lover's knot Lycophotia porphyrea |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Rubus fruticosus |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp., Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus petraea, Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Quercus spp., Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Pteridium aquilinum, Sorbus aucuparia |
| Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Rosy marsh moth Coenophila subrosea |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Heart moth Dicycla oo |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Grey scalloped Dyscia fagaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| The Silurian Eriopygodes imbecilla |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Hyacinthoides non-scripta |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Weaver's wave Idaea contiguaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| 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 petraea, Quercus robur |
| Scotch burnet Zygaena exulans |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
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
W25 — Bracken scrub
Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub
Matches 5 species from the description above: Dryopteris dilatata, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Pteridium aquilinum, Quercus robur, Rubus fruticosus agg.
Show 53 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas