Burley and Rushpit Woods

Also within

Rutland County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Bracken scrub

Description

Description Burley and Rushpit Woods is one of the largest continuous areas of ancient semi natural woodland in Leicestershire. The woodland structure is unusual for Leicestershire, being high forest containing mature and over mature trees and large quantities of dead wood. Biology Burley and Rushpit Woods have developed entirely on Upper Lias Clay. Such woods are restricted to a small area in the east of the County and, as a result of their geology, have a markedly calcifuge flora. Despite limited conifer planting within a number of compartments throughout the wood the majority of the area is still ancient semi natural woodland. Oak Quercus robur is dominant over large areas giving way to ash Fraxinus excelsior in the remainder. hazel Corylus avellana, field maple Acer campestre, gean Prunus avium and silver birch Betula pendula are all locally common. Small leaved lime Tilia cordata and wild service tree Sorbus torminalis are rare. The ground flora is locally dominated by bramble Rubus fruticosus, bracken Pteridium aquilinum, dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon and bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Hairy wood rush Luzula pilosa and great wood rush Luzula sylvatica are both occasional. Burley Wood is notable for its wide ride system which supports adder's tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii, water avens Geum rivale, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus. The lichen flora of the woods is diverse in the context of the East Midlands and of Regional importance. The woods have a rich dead wood invertebrate fauna which includes one Red Data Book species, Isochnomera cinerascens and five nationally scarce species Xylota xanthocnema, Nossidium pilosellum, Ctesias serra, Enicmus brevicornis and Prionychus ater. Together, these saproxylic species indicate a long continuity of mature timber and dead wood habitat. The woodland breeding bird community is one of the richest within Leicestershire as a result of the diversity of habitats present and the large size of the woods. Additional interest is provided by a number of small ponds and woodland streams.

Species mentioned

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.

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