Llanfawr Quarries, Llandrindod Wells
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Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Igneous Intrusion · Mining / Industrial: Quarry
Landscape processes: Coastal, Volcanic / Igneous
Description
Description Geological: These disused quarries expose highly fossiliferous Llandeilo-Caradoc shales, siltstones and mudstones intruded by dolerite. Up to thirty species of graptolites (including the zonally important species Nemograptus gracilis and six species of trilobites (including the zonally important Ogygiocaris buchi have been recorded from this site, as well as species of brachiopods, nautiloids and conularids. This site is extremely important in demonstrating faunal variation in the N. gracilis Biozone of the Llandeilo and in interpreting Llandeilo-Caradoc palaeoenvironments. Biological: The vegetation of the slopes of the quarry and cliff areas is very variable in composition, dependent upon base-status. The more acid areas are species-poor and typically support a good population of foxglove Digitalis purpurea. However, local areas of grassland are relatively base-rich, with herbs such as wild strawberry Fragaria vesca and the occasional primrose Primula vulgaris. The most interesting species-rich areas occur on dry thin-soiled areas of mineral flushing. In such locations herbs include wild thyme Thymus praecox, lesser trefoil Trifolium dubium, mouse-eared hawkweed Pilosella officinarum and common whitlowgrass Erophila verna. A feature of particular interest is the occurrence of small populations of the uncommon maiden pink Dianthus deltoides.
Species mentioned
Show the 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| maiden pink | Dianthus deltoides | NT | herb | carophyllaceae |
| foxglove | Digitalis purpurea | LC | herb | plantaginaceae |
| Whitlow grasses | Erophila verna | LC | herb | brassicaceae |
| wild strawberry | Fragaria vesca | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| mouse_ear hawkweed | Pilosella officinarum | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| primrose | Primula vulgaris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| creeping thyme | Thymus praecox | Not listed in GB list | herb | lamiaceae |
| lesser trefoil | Trifolium dubium | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula vulgaris |
| Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia |
Endangered | Digitalis purpurea |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Fragaria spp. |
| Garden dart Euxoa nigricans |
Vulnerable | Trifolium spp. |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Fragaria vesca |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Trifolium spp. |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Digitalis purpurea |
| 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.