Coed yr Allt
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Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Ordovician
Description
Description The site is a good example of mixed deciduous woodland with a range of canopy species and a range of ground flora types reflecting a gradation from acidic to relatively basic soil conditions. Coed yr Allt is a hillside wood of varied slope and pre-dominantly of south-western aspect. It extends from 183 to 244 metres (600 to 800 feet) above sea level. The site is ungrazed and in consequence there is good natural regeneration. The underlying geology is Ordovician shales. The wood is largely high forest hybrid oak grading into ash-oak woodland with sycamore, and with areas of ash-elm and sycamore. Seedling and sapling beech occurs throughout the site and regeneration of oak and ash is also taking place. hazel is the principal component of a well developed shrub-layer, but some hawthorn is also present. Gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa occurs and bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. is very abundant, particularly in areas where ash is frequent. The ground layer of the wood is very diverse, reflecting the variations in base status. Heather Calluna vulgaris and bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus occur locally under the pure oak areas, and a bryophyte layer is particularly well developed under the young oaks. Ivy Hedera helix occurs locally as a ground-layer and elsewhere there is a herb-grass layer including species such as false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, wavy hair-grass Deschampsia flexuosa, enchanter's-nightshade Circaea lutetiana, wood avens Geum urbanum and dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis.
Species mentioned
Show the 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| wood false brome | Brachypodium sylvaticum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| wavy hair grass | Deschampsia flexuosa | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| enchanter's nightshade | Circaea lutetiana | LC | herb | onagraceae |
| herb bennet | Geum urbanum | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| dog's mercury | Mercurialis perennis | LC | herb | euphorbiaceae |
| bramble | Rubus fruticosus agg. | Not listed in GB list | herb | rosaceae |
| gooseberry | Ribes uva-crispa | Not listed in GB list | shrub | grossulariaceae |
| billberry | Vaccinium myrtillus | LC | shrub | ericaceae |
| bell heather or ling | Calluna vulgaris | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |
| ivy | Hedera helix | LC | woody climber | araliaceae |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Speckled footman Coscinia cribraria |
Critically Endangered | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Chequered skipper Carterocephalus palaemon |
Endangered | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Shoulder-striped clover Heliothis maritima |
Endangered | Calluna vulgaris |
| The v-moth Macaria wauaria |
Endangered | Ribes uva-crispa |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Rubus fruticosus |
| Broom moth Ceramica pisi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Rubus fruticosus, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| The spinach Eulithis mellinata |
Vulnerable | Ribes uva-crispa |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| True lover's knot Lycophotia porphyrea |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Ribes uva-crispa, Rubus fruticosus |
| Silver studded blue Plebejus argus |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Geum urbanum, Rubus fruticosus |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Calluna vulgaris, Rubus fruticosus, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Rosy marsh moth Coenophila subrosea |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Grey scalloped Dyscia fagaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| The Silurian Eriopygodes imbecilla |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Weaver's wave Idaea contiguaria |
Near Threatened | Calluna vulgaris |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Brachypodium sylvaticum |
| Scotch burnet Zygaena exulans |
Near Threatened | Vaccinium myrtillus |
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.