North Berwick Law
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Lowland calcareous grassland | Favourable | — | 2023-03-28 |
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
North Berwick Law North Berwick Law Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is located approximately one kilometre south of North Berwick, East Lothian. The steep sides of this volcanic plug are covered with large areas of unimproved, mineral rich grassland, a rare and declining habitat in East Lothian. This is an extensive and representative area of this habitat. Several vascular plant species indicative of base-rich conditions are present, including lady's bedstraw Galium verum, burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga, wild thyme Thymus polytrichus, knotted clover Trifolium striatum and maiden pink Dianthus deltoides. The UK BAP priority species purple milk-vetch Astragalus danicus, not normally found inland and the Red Data List species meadow saxifrage Saxifraga granulata are also known from the site. Although not notified, the site also contains a number of rare bryophytes.
Species mentioned
Show the 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| purple milk vetch | Astragalus danicus | EN | herb | fabaceae |
| maiden pink | Dianthus deltoides | NT | herb | carophyllaceae |
| lady's bedstraw | Galium verum | LC | herb | rubiaceae |
| burnet saxifrage | Pimpinella saxifraga | NT | herb | apiaceae |
| meadow saxifrage | Saxifraga granulata | VU | herb | saxifragaceae |
| wild thyme | Thymus polytrichus | Not listed in GB list | herb | lamiaceae |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| Garden dart Euxoa nigricans |
Vulnerable | Trifolium spp. |
| White-line dart Euxoa tritici |
Vulnerable | Galium verum |
| Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Trifolium spp. |
| Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata |
Near Threatened | Trifolium spp. |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Galium spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
| The blackneck Lygephila pastinum |
Near Threatened | Astragalus spp. |
| Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon |
Near Threatened | Pimpinella saxifraga |
| 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.