Trickses Hole

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.2734, -1.9965

Open in the interactive map →

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SP003639 — Favourable 2.82 2012-06-28

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Triassic

Description

Description Trickses Hole is located in the north west of the central Worcestershire plain, west of Cruise Hill and two kilometres north of Feckenham. The two fields are maintained by traditional management, one as a hay meadow and the other as pasture. They overlie Mercia Mudstones of the Triassic Period. The special interest of this site lies in the diversity of the semi natural mesotrophic neutral grassland characterised by crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus and common knapweed Centaurea nigra. Both fields support a herb rich vegetation including devil’s bit scabious Succisa pratensis, cowslip Primula veris betony Betonica officinalis, sneezewort Achillea ptarmica, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria and ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi. Locally uncommon species present include saw wort Serratula tinctoria and pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus. The northern boundary comprises a stream which has alder Alnus glutinosa, willow Salix sp. and hazel Corylus avellana trees. The remaining boundaries have mature hedges consisting of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, field maple Acer campestre, ash Fraxinus excelsior and pedunculate oak Quercus robur. Invertebrates recorded include meadow brown Maniola jurtina, gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus, small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris and five spot burnet moth Zygaena trifolii.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
meadow brown Maniola jurtina LC butterfly nymphalidae
gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus LC butterfly nymphalidae
small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris LC butterfly hesperiidae
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
sneezewort Achillea ptarmica LC herb asteraceae
betony Betonica officinalis VU herb lamiaceae
black knapweed Centaurea nigra LC herb asteraceae
meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria LC herb rosaceae
cowslip Primula veris LC herb primulaceae
saw wort Serratula tinctoria VU herb asteraceae
pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus EN herb saxifragaceae
ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi LC herb carophyllaceae
devils-bit scabious Succisa pratensis VU herb caprifoliaceae
five-spot burnet Zygaena trifolii Not listed in GB list moth zygaenidae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
field maple Acer campestre LC tree aceraceae
alder Alnus glutinosa LC tree salicaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae

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.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Reddish buff
Acosmetia caliginosa		 Critically Endangered Serratula tinctoria
Black-veined moth
Siona lineata		 Critically Endangered Centaurea nigra
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 veris
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens		 Endangered Alnus glutinosa, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Quercus spp.
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis		 Vulnerable Crataegus spp., Serratula tinctoria
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx		 Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria		 Vulnerable Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
Marsh fritillary
Euphydryas aurinia		 Vulnerable Succisa pratensis
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata		 Vulnerable Centaurea spp., Filipendula ulmaria
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria		 Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Quercus spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria		 Vulnerable Alnus glutinosa, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp.
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.
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
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus		 Near Threatened Cynosurus cristatus
Dingy mocha
Cyclophora pendularia		 Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa
Heart moth
Dicycla oo		 Near Threatened Quercus robur
Kentish glory
Endromis versicolora		 Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria		 Near Threatened Alnus glutinosa, Corylus avellana, Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria		 Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Dusky thorn
Ennomos fuscantaria		 Near Threatened Fraxinus excelsior
Tawny speckled
Eupithecia icterata		 Near Threatened Achillea ptarmica
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata		 Near Threatened Betonica officinalis, Centaurea spp., Crataegus monogyna
Bordered pug
Eupithecia succenturiata		 Near Threatened Achillea ptarmica
Double dart
Graphiphora augur		 Near Threatened Crataegus spp., Quercus spp.
Scarce forester
Jordanita globulariae		 Near Threatened Centaurea nigra
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

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

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa