Coombe Valley Woods
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Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Limestone
Description
Description This complex of woods lies in a narrow steep-sided valley of the Cas Troggy brook on strongly calcareous soils overlying dolomotized Carboniferous Limestone. The ancient semi-natural high forest and old coppice-with-standards contain important examples of calcareous woodland types with a diversity of canopy trees including beech Fagus sylvatica, small-leaved lime Tilia cordata, oak Quercus robur, ash Fraxinus excelsior, field maple Acer campestre and wych elm Ulmus glabra. The many subordinate tree and shrub species include whitebeams Sorbus spp and extensive areas of yew Taxus baccata and hazel Corylus avellana. The rich ground flora has a number of rare and local species including lily of the valley Convallaria majalis, fetid hellebore Helleborus foetidus and birds nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis.
Species mentioned
Show the 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lilly of the valley | Convallaria majalis | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| foetid hellebore | Helleborus foetidus | LC | herb | ranunculaceae |
| birdsnest orchid | Neottia nidus-avis | VU | herb | orchidaceae |
| field maple | Acer campestre | LC | tree | aceraceae |
| hazel | Corylus avellana | LC | tree | corylaceae |
| beech | Fagus sylvatica | LC | tree | fabiaceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| common oak | Quercus robur | LC | tree | fagaceae |
| yew | Taxus baccata | LC | tree | taxaceae |
| lime small leaved | Tilia cordata | LC | tree | malvaceae |
| wych elm | Ulmus glabra | LC | tree | ulmaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta |
Endangered | Quercus robur |
| Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata |
Endangered | Acer campestre |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| White-letter hairstreak Satyrium w-album |
Endangered | Ulmus glabra, Ulmus spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Tilia spp., Ulmus spp. |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Ulmus spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp., Tilia spp., Ulmus glabra |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp. |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus robur |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| Light crimson underwing Catocala promissa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Dusky-lemon sallow Cirrhia gilvago |
Near Threatened | Ulmus glabra |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Ulmus glabra |
| Heart moth Dicycla oo |
Near Threatened | Quercus robur |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Fagus sylvatica, Quercus spp., Tilia spp. |
| Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria |
Near Threatened | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp., Ulmus spp. |
| 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 |
| Scarce hook-tip Sabra harpagula |
Near Threatened | Tilia cordata |
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.