Kirkton Burn Meadow
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Lowland neutral grassland | Unfavourable No Change | — | 2015-03-10 |
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
KIRKTON BURN MEADOW Kirkton Burn Meadow site of special scientific interest (SSSI) lies either side of Kirkton Burn (or Trow Burn) from immediately north of Kirkton to Pinker’s Cleuch, alongside the A6088 Hawick - Bonchester Bridge road. The SSSI has one of the best ranges of plants in the area and is more intact and less modified than other sites. The site comprises a relatively undisturbed flushed riparian meadow which is rich in plant species, some of which are nationally and regionally rare including knotted clover Trifolium striatum, maiden pink Dianthus deltoides, small-flowered crane's-bill Geranium pusillum and crested hair-grass Koeleria macrantha. The site is also important as being intermediate between the flushed upland grassland of the Teviot Valley and the drier lowland grasslands further east.
Species mentioned
Show the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| crested hair-grass | Koeleria macrantha | NT | grass | poaceae |
| maiden pink | Dianthus deltoides | NT | herb | carophyllaceae |
| small flowered cranesbill | Geranium pusillum | LC | herb | geraniaceae |
| knotted clover | Trifolium striatum | LC | herb | fabaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Garden dart Euxoa nigricans |
Vulnerable | Trifolium spp. |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Trifolium spp. |
| Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata |
Near Threatened | Trifolium 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.