Mappp.co - Kirton Wood, Notts

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Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SK707683	—	Favourable	18.3	2023-03-31

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Description The site comprises one of the best remaining ash wych elm woods in Nottinghamshire and is representative of semi natural woodland on clay soils in the North Midlands. Biology A fine example of an ash wych elm wood developed on a gentle east facing slope formed primarily from the stiff clay soils of the Triassic Keuper Marl. The wood is characterised by the dominance of ash Fraxinus excelsior, wych elm Ulmus glabra and, locally, oak Quercus robur and contains a rich shrub community of which hazel Corylus avellana, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, field maple Acer campestre, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and privet Ligustrum vulgare are the most abundant components. The ground vegetation is dominated by bramble Rubus fruticosus, honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum, cleavers Galium aparine and dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, but contains a diverse flora including such typical species of ancient clay woods as wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, sweet woodruff Asperula odorata, primrose Primula vulgaris, ramsons Allium ursinum and early purple orchid Orchis mascula.

Species mentioned

Show the 17 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
ramson	Allium ursinum	LC	herb	liliaceae
wood anemone	Anemone nemorosa	LC	herb	ranunculaceae
sweet woodruff	Asperula odorata	Not listed in GB list	herb	rubiaceae
goosegrass	Galium aparine	LC	herb	rubiaceae
honeysuckle	Lonicera periclymenum	LC	herb	caprifoliaceae
dog's mercury	Mercurialis perennis	LC	herb	euphorbiaceae
early purple orchid	Orchis mascula	LC	herb	orchidaceae
primrose	Primula vulgaris	LC	herb	primulaceae
bramble	Rubus fruticosus	LC	herb	rosaceae
dogwood	Cornus sanguinea	LC	shrub	cornaceae
hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	LC	shrub	rosaceae
wild privet	Ligustrum vulgare	LC	shrub	oleaceae
field maple	Acer campestre	LC	tree	aceraceae
hazel	Corylus avellana	LC	tree	corylaceae
ash	Fraxinus excelsior	LC	tree	oleaceae
common oak	Quercus robur	LC	tree	fagaceae
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.
Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata	Endangered	Acer campestre
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., Rubus fruticosus, 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., Ulmus spp.
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus, Ulmus spp.
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Lonicera periclymenum, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp.
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Lonicera periclymenum
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
White admiral Limenitis camilla	Vulnerable	Lonicera periclymenum
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus, Ulmus spp.
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Ulmus glabra
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
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.
Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria	Near Threatened	Fraxinus excelsior
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Galium spp.
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
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.