Cefn y Brithdir
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Description
Description Cefn y Brithdir is a hill of Pennant grit, situated on the western side of the upper Rhymney Valley overlooking the town of New Tredegar. The steep north-eastern slopes support the best example in Mid Glamorgan of a dwarf shrub heath community in which crowberry Empetrum nigrum occurs as a co-dominant species. A range of dry heath species are found on the site. Crowberry is associated with bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus. Heather Calluna vulgaris grows around the crags and rocky outcrops where grazing is less intense. Grasses include wavy hair-grass Deschampsia flexuosa, sheep's-fescue Festuca ovina and mat-grass Nardus stricta.The diversity and relative density of the dwarf shrub species present on this site is unusual in Mid Glamorgan. Crowberry is here close to the southern edge of its range in Britain.
Species mentioned
Show the 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phalacrocorax aristotelis | Not listed in GB list | bird | phalacrocoracidae | |
| wavy hair grass | Deschampsia flexuosa | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| sheep's fescue | Festuca ovina | LC | grass | poaceae |
| mat grass | Nardus stricta | LC | grass | poaceae |
| bell heather or ling | Calluna vulgaris | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |
| crowberry | Empetrum nigrum | LC | shrub dwarf | empetraceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder-striped clover Heliothis maritima |
Endangered | Calluna vulgaris |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca ovina |
| True lover's knot Lycophotia porphyrea |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Hedge rustic Tholera cespitis |
Vulnerable | Nardus stricta |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Festuca spp., Nardus stricta |
| Rosy marsh moth Coenophila subrosea |
Near Threatened | Empetrum nigrum |
| Grey scalloped Dyscia fagaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Small mountain ringlet Erebia epiphron |
Near Threatened | Nardus stricta |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Festuca ovina |
| Silver-spotted skipper Hesperia comma |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina |
| Weaver's wave Idaea contiguaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Empetrum nigrum |
| Rosy minor Litoligia literosa |
Near Threatened | Festuca ovina |
| Scotch burnet Zygaena exulans |
Near Threatened | Empetrum nigrum |
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.