Hen Berth Fron-Badarn a Phersondy
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Habitats
Description
Description A remarkable length of ancient hedge and bank bordering glebe land immediately west of Llanbadarn Odwyn church. Documentary evidence exists to show that the length of hedge bordering field no. 421 (see map) was planted or has developed since 1791, while that bordering field no. 472 probably dates from before 1791, and may even go back to the 14th century. The pre-1791 length contains an average of 13.5 woody species per 30 metres and the entire length of 120 metres has a total of 21 species. Hedges with such a rich assemblage of species as this are unusual, even on a national scale. In this particular length scarcely two bushes of the same species ever adjoin each other. In contrast, the length bordering field no. 421 contains only an average of 7.6 woody species per 30 metres length, and the entire length of 100 metres has a total of 12 species. For most of its length, this part of the hedge is dominated by blackthorn Prunus spinosa. Whilst the correlation between number of woody species and age, claimed for hedges in southern England, does not appear to be generally applicable in Ceredigion, this particular site does show a relationship between a high number of species and old age.
Species mentioned
Show the 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| blackthorn | Prunus spinosa | LC | shrub | rosaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa |
| Black hairstreak Satyrium pruni |
Endangered | Prunus spinosa |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Prunus spinosa |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa, Prunus spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Prunus spinosa |
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.
Plant communities
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 1 species from the description above: Prunus spinosa
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 1 species from the description above: Prunus spinosa
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas
W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub
Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Show 40 indicator speciesHedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum