New House Meadow

Also within

Powys County

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Cambrian

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Description This site comprises a single field and adjacent roadside bank lying on gently sloping ground above the flood plain of the River Wye at Rhayader. It is an excellent example of a type of herb-rich grassland that is characteristic of the upland fringe of mid-Wales. Such sites are becoming increasingly rare as a result of agricultural intensification. Much of the drier grassland is dominated by mixtures of common bent Agrostis capillaris, sweet vernal-grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, crested dog's-tail Cynosurus cristatus, red fescue Festuca rubra and Yorkshire-fog Holcus lanatus. Common knapweed Centaurea nigra, pignut Conopodium majus, common bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, tormentil Potentilla erecta and betony Betonica officinalis are frequent throughout this community. Other characteristic associates include heath-grass Danthonia decumbens, bitter-vetch Lathyrus montanus, devil's-bit scabious Succisa pratensis and burnet-saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga. 'Woodland' species such as wood anemone Anemone nemorosa and bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta are locally prominent, as are locally uncommon plants such as adder's-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, greater butterfly-orchid Platanthera chlorantha and the nationally scarce wood bitter-vetch Vicia orobus. Particularly good colonies of the latter species occur on the roadside bank beyond the western boundary of the field. Remarks: The site lies within the Cambrian Mountains Environmentally Sensitive Area. The western boundary of the site includes the roadside verge.

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.

Plant communities