Mappp.co - Dormston Church Meadow

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Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SO986575	—	Favourable	1.23	2011-06-23

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic

Description

Description Dormston Church Meadow is located in the east of the central Worcestershire plain, within the village of Dormston. The meadow overlies a medieval ridge and furrow system and lies on the Lower Lias clays of the Jurassic period, giving rise to neutral soils. The meadow conforms with the mesotrophic neutral community characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra and is typical of the lady’s bedstraw Galium verum sub community. The sward is diverse, particularly on the ridges. Abundant species include meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, red fescue Festuca rubra, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, common bird’s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, lady’s bedstraw, cowslip Primula veris and glaucous sedge Carex flacca. A calcareous influence can be seen in the presence of meadow oat grass Avenula pratensis, hoary plantain Plantago media, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and dropwort Filipendula vulgaris. The flora near the edges of the meadows has an unusual woodland element which includes bugle Ajuga reptans, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, lords and ladies Arum maculatum and dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis. The meadow is bounded on two sides by hedges dominated by hawthorn Crataegus monogyna.

Species mentioned

Show the 18 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
meadow foxtail	Alopecurus pratensis	LC	grass	poaceae
meadow oat grass	Avenula pratensis	Not listed in GB list	grass	poaceae
crested dog's tail	Cynosurus cristatus	LC	grass	poaceae
red fescue	Festuca rubra	LC	grass	poaceae
bugle	Ajuga reptans	LC	herb	lamiaceae
lords and ladies	Arum maculatum	LC	herb	araceae
black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	LC	herb	asteraceae
dropwort	Filipendula vulgaris	LC	herb	rosaceae
lady's bedstraw	Galium verum	LC	herb	rubiaceae
bluebell	Hyacinthoides non-scripta	LC	herb	liliaceae
rough hawkbit	Leontodon hispidus	LC	herb	asteraceae
birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	LC	herb	fabaceae
dog's mercury	Mercurialis perennis	LC	herb	euphorbiaceae
hoary plantain	Plantago media	LC	herb	plantaginaceae
salad burnet	Poterium sanguisorba	VU	herb	rosaceae
cowslip	Primula veris	LC	herb	primulaceae
glaucus sedge	Carex flacca	LC	sedge	cyperaceae
hawthorn	Crataegus monogyna	LC	shrub	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	Centaurea nigra, Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	Crataegus monogyna
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina	Endangered	Primula veris
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Crataegus spp.
Least minor Photedes captiuncula	Endangered	Carex flacca
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp., Lotus corniculatus, Poterium sanguisorba
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus spp.
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Plantago spp.
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Centaurea spp., Galium spp.
Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	Plantago spp.
White-line dart Euxoa tritici	Vulnerable	Galium verum
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca rubra
Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Poterium sanguisorba
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Plantago spp.
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp.
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Galium spp., Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Plantago spp.
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Centaurea spp., Crataegus monogyna
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	Crataegus spp.
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Carex flacca
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.