Launde Big Wood

Also within

Leicestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SK784038	—	Unfavourable Declining	12.57	2022-06-08
SK786036	—	Unfavourable Declining	14.59	2022-06-08
SK788038	—	Unfavourable Declining	14.0	2022-06-08

Habitats

Bracken scrub

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic

Landscape processes: Glacial

Description

Area,42.15 hectares Description The site contains some of the best remaining examples of ash maple and ash elm woodland in Leicestershire and is representative of ancient semi natural woodland developed on the heavy clay soils of eastern central England. Biology Launde Big Wood has developed for the most part on heavy clay soils derived from the underlying Jurassic Upper Lias and Glacial Boulder Clays; smaller areas have developed on soils derived from glacial sands and gravels. The major part of the wood is dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior and, locally, by wych elm Ulmus glabra. The shrub layer is characterised by the abundance of field maple Acer campestre and hazel Corylus avellana, with sloe Prunus spinosa, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata also occurring. Locally dominated by dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, the ground flora is rich in species typical of ancient clay woods and characterised by the abundance of bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, wood forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon and giant bellflower Campanula latifolia. In some areas in the north the stand type changes and is replaced by more open woodland in which the main tree components are pedunculate oak Quercus robur and silver birch Betula pendula. In these areas the ground vegetation is dominated by bracken Pteridium aquilinum with abundant honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum. Less common plants of this community include the hard fern Blechnum spicant. Additional interest is provided by the presence of woodland rides, an old wood bank, a number of ponds and by a number of woodland streams.

Species mentioned

Show the 17 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status ▾

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.

Grouped by host-plant — open a plant to see its insects. Some insects feed on more than one of these plants, so they appear under each.

Common oak Quercus 19

Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta	Endangered	Quercus robur
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Quercus
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	any Quercus
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	any Quercus
Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria	Vulnerable	Quercus robur
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	any Quercus
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	any Quercus
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	any Quercus
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Quercus
Clay fan-foot Paracolax tristalis	Near Threatened	any Quercus
Common fan-foot Pechipogo strigilata	Near Threatened	Quercus robur
Frosted green Polyploca ridens	Near Threatened	Quercus robur

Hawthorn, midland hawthorn Crataegus 16

Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	any Crataegus
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	Crataegus monogyna
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Crataegus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	any Crataegus
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Crataegus
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	any Crataegus
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Crataegus monogyna
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi Antitype chi	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Crataegus
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Crataegus monogyna
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Crataegus

Birch Betula 15

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Betula
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Betula
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	any Betula
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	any Betula
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Betula pendula
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Betula pendula
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	any Betula
Oak hook-tip Watsonalla binaria	Vulnerable	Betula pendula
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	any Betula
Kentish glory Endromis versicolora	Near Threatened	Betula pendula
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Betula
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	any Betula
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	any Betula
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Betula
White prominent Leucodonta bicoloria	Regionally Extinct	any Betula

Blackthorn Prunus 15

Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	any Prunus, Prunus spinosa
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	any Prunus, Prunus spinosa
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Prunus spinosa
Black hairstreak Satyrium pruni	Endangered	Prunus spinosa
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Prunus, Prunus spinosa
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Prunus spinosa
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	any Prunus, Prunus spinosa
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Prunus spinosa
Brown hairstreak Thecla betulae	Vulnerable	Prunus spinosa
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	Prunus spinosa
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Prunus spinosa
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Prunus spinosa
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Prunus, Prunus spinosa
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Prunus spinosa
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	Prunus spinosa

Wych elm Ulmus 12

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Ulmus
White-letter hairstreak Satyrium w-album	Endangered	any Ulmus, Ulmus glabra
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Ulmus
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	any Ulmus
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	any Ulmus
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	any Ulmus
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Ulmus glabra
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	any Ulmus
Dusky-lemon sallow Cirrhia gilvago	Near Threatened	Ulmus glabra
The sallow Cirrhia icteritia	Near Threatened	Ulmus glabra
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Ulmus
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Ulmus

Hazel Corylus avellana 7

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Corylus avellana
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Corylus avellana
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Corylus avellana

Ash Fraxinus excelsior 3

The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	Fraxinus excelsior
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	Fraxinus excelsior
Dusky thorn Ennomos fuscantaria	Near Threatened	Fraxinus excelsior

Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum 3

Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Lonicera periclymenum
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Lonicera periclymenum
White admiral Limenitis camilla	Vulnerable	Lonicera periclymenum

Field maple Acer campestre 2

Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata	Endangered	Acer campestre
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Acer campestre

Bracken Pteridium aquilinum 2

Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Pteridium aquilinum
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Pteridium aquilinum

Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta 1

Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa

Near Threatened

Hyacinthoides non-scripta

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