Graig Quarry
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Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Rock Type: Limestone
Description
Description This site is notified for its rare higher plant species interest. The remaining strip of semi-natural broadleaved woodland at the southern edge of the limestone working known as Graig Quarry supports purple gromwell Lithospermum purpureocaeruleum, a Red Data Book species in its only known locality in North Wales. This species has been known from the Denbigh area since the seventeenth century. At Graig Quarry it reaches its most northerly locality in Britain at the edge of its geographical range. Other localities for this species are a considerable distance away. It occurs in semi-natural broadleaved woodland characterised by an ash Fraxinus excelsior, sessile oak Quercus petraea and sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus canopy and an understorey including locally uncommon species such as spindle Euonymus europaeus, wild service tree Sorbus torminalis and spurge laurel Daphne laureola.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| purple gromwell | Lithospermum purpureocaeruleum | Not listed in GB list | herb | boraginaceae |
| spurge laurel | Daphne laureola | LC | shrub | thymelaeaceae |
| spindle tree | Euonymus europaeus | LC | shrub | celastraceae |
| sycamore | Acer pseudoplatanus | Not listed in GB list | tree | aceraceae |
| ash | Fraxinus excelsior | LC | tree | oleaceae |
| sessile or durmast oak | Quercus petraea | LC | tree | fagaceae |
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 petraea |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Quercus spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Acer pseudoplatanus, Quercus spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus spp. |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Quercus spp. |
| Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria |
Vulnerable | Quercus petraea |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Acer pseudoplatanus, Quercus spp. |
| September thorn Ennomos erosaria |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria |
Near Threatened | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Clay fan-foot Paracolax tristalis |
Near Threatened | Quercus spp. |
| Frosted green Polyploca ridens |
Near Threatened | Quercus petraea |
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.