Kellas Oakwood
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Upland oak woodland | Unfavourable No Change | — | 2018-11-29 |
Habitats
Description
KELLAS OAKWOOD Kellas oakwood is located 10 km south-west of Elgin. It is one of the best examples of oak woodlands in Moray. It occupies a predominantly south-east facing slope between 150 and 275m above sea level. The woodland is ancient and semi-natural, the earliest record of its management being from 1798 when it was managed as oak coppice. Much of the woodland is now a dense, single-storied, pure stand of sessile oak with little or no shrub layer. The field layer reflects the acid brown earth soils with abundant wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa as well as hard fern Blechnum spicant, bell heather Erica cinerea, chickweed winter-green Trientalis europaea, blaeberry Vaccinium myrtillus, climbing corydalis Corydalis claviculata, cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense and Dicranum mosses. At the foot of the slope local soil enrichment and flushing gives rise to a slightly richer community with primrose Primula vulgaris and bugle Ajuga reptans. On the upper slopes oak is scarce, being replaced by birch over a field layer dominated by the Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus and bracken Pteridium aquilinum. Several glades exist, some also dominated by bracken, others containing fragments of dwarf-shrub heath dominated by ling heather Calluna vulgaris.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hard fern | Blechnum spicant | LC | fern | blechnaceae |
| bracken | Pteridium aquilinum | LC | fern | dennstaedtiaceae |
| wavy hair grass | Deschampsia flexuosa | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| Yorkshire fog | Holcus lanatus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| bugle | Ajuga reptans | LC | herb | lamiaceae |
| corydalis | Corydalis claviculata | Not listed in GB list | herb | fumariaceae |
| common cowwheat | Melampyrum pratense | VU | herb | orobanchaceae |
| primrose | Primula vulgaris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| chickweed wintergreen | Trientalis europaea | Not listed in GB list | herb | primulaceae |
| billberry | Vaccinium myrtillus | LC | shrub | ericaceae |
| bell heather or ling | Calluna vulgaris | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |
| bell heather | Erica cinerea | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |
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 |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula vulgaris |
| Shoulder-striped clover Heliothis maritima |
Endangered | Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea |
| Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia |
Endangered | Melampyrum pratense |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Pteridium aquilinum, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| True lover's knot Lycophotia porphyrea |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Pteridium aquilinum |
| Rosy marsh moth Coenophila subrosea |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Grey scalloped Dyscia fagaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea |
| The Silurian Eriopygodes imbecilla |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea |
| Weaver's wave Idaea contiguaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Holcus lanatus |
| 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 2 species from the description above: Holcus lanatus, Pteridium aquilinum
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