Caeau Glyn (Glyn Fields)

Also within

Powys County

Description

Description A fine example of unimproved, slightly base-rich, dry grassland supporting several locally uncommon plant species. The site comprises four small fields lying on sloping ground west of the Luggy Brook; they have been mown for hay in the past, but are currently grazed by cattle. The sward is fairly uniform, being dominated mainly by crested dog's-tail Cynosurus cristatus, red fescue Festuca rubra, common bent Agrostis capillaris and sweet vernal-grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, although perennial rye-grass Lolium perenne and rough meadow-grass Poa trivialis are abundant in the areas more heavily trampled by cattle. Common knapweed Centaurea nigra, cat's-ear Hypochaeris radicata, field wood-rush Luzula campestris, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris and red clover Trifolium pratense are frequent throughout. Other characteristic species include quaking-grass Briza media, yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens, glaucous sedge Carex flacca, hairy lady's-mantle Alchemilla filicaulis, pignut Conopodium majus, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis, common bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus, bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus, selfheal Prunella vulgaris, oxeye daisy Leucantheum vulgare, tufted vetch Vicia cracca and meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis. The base-rich nature of the soil is indicated by the presence of species such as agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria, common milkwort Polygala vulgaris, and cowslip Primula veris, which are all of restricted distribution in Montgomeryshire.

Species mentioned

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.

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.