Llyn Llywenan
Also within
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| mallard | Breeding |
| mallard | Wintering |
| pochard | Breeding |
| pochard | Wintering |
| shoveler | Breeding |
| shoveler | Wintering |
| teal | Breeding |
| teal | Wintering |
| tufted duck | Breeding |
| tufted duck | Wintering |
| wigeon | Breeding |
| wigeon | Wintering |
Description
Description Llyn Llywenan is selected as an example of a moderately base-rich lowland lake in West Gwynedd; it is primarily of biological interest. The flora of the lake includes a range of submerged, floating and emergent macrophyte species. A number of rare and uncommon species are present, e.g. eight-stamened waterwort Elatine hydropiper, spring quillwort Isoetes echinospora, and needle spike-rush Eleocharis acicularis which grow on parts of the more exposed stony shoreline. Floating-leaved aquatic species include the two water-lilies Nuphar lutea and Nymphaea alba and water bistort Polygonum amphibium. There is extensive development of reedswamp with stands of common reed Phragmites australis and lesser bullrush Typha angustifolia; associated species include common club-rush Schoenoplectus lacustris, branched bur-reed Sparganium erectum and greater spearwort Ranunculus lingua. A variety of overwintering wildfowl species frequent Llyn Llywehan, including mallard, teal, wigeon, shoveler, tufted duck and pochard; it also supports an interesting breeding bird community.
Species mentioned
Show the 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| teal | Anas crecca | LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) | bird-duck | anatidae |
| mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | NT (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) | bird-duck | anatidae |
| tufted duck | Aythya fuligula | LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) | bird-duck | anatidae |
| wigeon | Mareca penelope | LC (NonBreeding), NT (Breeding) | bird-duck | anatidae |
| shoveler | Spatula clypeata | LC (NonBreeding), LC (Breeding) | bird-duck | anatidae |
| lesser bulrush | Typha angustifolia | LC | bulrush | typhaceae |
| spring quillwort | Isoetes echinospora | LC | fern | isoetaceae |
| common reed | Phragmites australis | LC | grass | poaceae |
| eight stamened waterwort | Elatine hydropiper | LC | herb | elatinaceae |
| water lillies | Nuphar lutea | LC | herb | nymphaeaceae |
| white water-lily | Nymphaea alba | LC | herb | nymphaeaceae |
| amphibious bistort | Polygonum amphibium | Not listed in GB list | herb | polygonaceae |
| greater spearwort | Ranunculus lingua | LC | herb | ranunculaceae |
| branched bur reed | Sparganium erectum | LC | reed | typhaceae |
| needle spike rush | Eleocharis acicularis | VU | rush | juncaceae |
| common club rush | Schoenoplectus lacustris | LC | sedge | cyperaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Ranunculus spp. |
| White-mantled wainscot Archanara neurica |
Near Threatened | Phragmites australis |
| Reed leopard Phragmataecia castaneae |
Near Threatened | Phragmites australis |
| Fenn's wainscot Protarchanara brevilinea |
Near Threatened | Phragmites australis |
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.