Coedydd Tregyb / Tregyb Woodlands

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 51.8775, -3.9750

Description

Description Three woods, Cae'r Coed, Big Grove and Warren Tregyb make up this site and form, with surrounding contiguous areas of woodland, one of the largest blocks of deciduous woodland in south-east Dyfed. From an examination of old maps it appears that areas on the western edge of Big Grove and at the south-eastern end of Warren Tregyb were formerly fields. They are now botanically indistinguishable from the surrounding woodland which has developed on undulating ground overlaid with clay. Drier ridges alternate with flushes and damp river valleys supporting ash/oak Quercus petraea and Quercus robur woodland and alder/willow carr respectively. All three woods have a well developed and species-rich shrub and ground layer, being largely free of grazing animals. At least 100 species of flowering plants have been recorded in the ground layer. Since much of the woodland appears to have been clear felled in recent times epiphyte communities of the tree trunks are not well developed. The few old trees which do remain, especially along old boundary banks, are however of some interest and provide a refuge for many species rare or absent elsewhere in the woods. All the larger woodland mammals are present and fallow deer occurred until recently. Remarks: Within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
sessile or durmast oak Quercus petraea LC tree fagaceae
common oak Quercus robur 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.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Oak lutestring
Cymatophorina diluta
Endangered Quercus petraea, Quercus robur
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Quercus spp.
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria
Vulnerable Quercus petraea, Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Light crimson underwing
Catocala promissa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Dark crimson underwing
Catocala sponsa
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Heart moth
Dicycla oo
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Clay fan-foot
Paracolax tristalis
Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Common fan-foot
Pechipogo strigilata
Near Threatened Quercus robur
Frosted green
Polyploca ridens
Near Threatened Quercus petraea, Quercus robur

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

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa