Sherrardspark Wood

Also within

Hertfordshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
TL225139	—	Favourable	18.89	2022-01-21
TL230137	—	Favourable	39.23	2022-01-21
TL234142	—	Favourable	16.19	2022-01-21

Habitats

Bracken scrub, Coppiced woodland, Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Species	Season
swallow	Unknown

Description

Area, 74.9 ha. 185.l ac. Description Sherrardspark Wood is situated on high ground between the Lea and Mimram river valleys; on the gravel and sand Reading Beds which cap the clay and chalk of the London Basin. The acid soils support an extensive ancient semi natural sessile oak / hornbeam Quercus petraea / Carpinus betulus woodland. A significant part of this wood is dominated by mature sessile oak high forest, a habitat now rare throughout lowland England. Smaller areas of birch Betula sp. and mixed deciduous woodland are included in the site, together with a small coniferous plantation adding to habitat diversity. The sessile oak high forest contains large areas of mature stand with trees above 30m high and up to 250 years old. Some areas support an understorey of previously coppiced hornbeam, with occasional standards of this species also present. Elsewhereboth silver and downy birch Betula pendula and Betula pubescens make up the canopy with pedunculate oak Quercus robur, ash Fraxinus excelsior, wild cherry Prunus avium and field maple Acer campestre scattered throughout the woodland. The shrub layer is dominated by honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum and holly Ilex aquifolium with some rowan Sorbus aucuparia and sweet chestnut Castanea sativa, the latter under taller oaks. Typically for woodland of this type on acid soils the ground flora is sparse and dominated by bramble Rubus fruticosus and bracken Pteridium aquilinum. Towards the north chalk comes to the surface, reflected in woodland once dominated by wych elm Ulmus glabra and now being invaded by sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus. A diverse flora persists here comprising dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa and broad buckler fern Dryopteris dilatata. Two uncommon helleborines are known from the wood, violet and broad leaved helleborine Epipactis purpurata and Epipactis helleborine. moschatel Adoxa moschatellina, another local Hertfordshire species, is also present. Inmore acidic conditions a small mixed plantation supports a considerable amount of heather Calluna vulgaris. Additional habitats are provided by swallow holes fed by woodland streams and which hold seasonal water. A disused railway cutting bisects the wood and exposes calcareous soils. Colonisation by spindle Euonymus europaeus, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and guelder rose Viburnum opulus is underway. A typical woodland ride flora is developing forming an important habitat for invertebrates which does not occur elsewhere in the wood.

Species mentioned

Show the 28 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, sessile or durmast oak Quercus 19

Oak lutestring Cymatophorina diluta	Endangered	Quercus petraea, 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 petraea, 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 petraea, Quercus robur

Birch, downy 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, Betula pubescens
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, Betula pubescens
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

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

Bell heather or ling Calluna vulgaris 10

Shoulder-striped clover Heliothis maritima	Endangered	Calluna vulgaris
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Calluna vulgaris
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Calluna vulgaris
True lover's knot Lycophotia porphyrea	Vulnerable	Calluna vulgaris
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Calluna vulgaris
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Calluna vulgaris
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	Calluna vulgaris
Grey scalloped Dyscia fagaria	Near Threatened	Calluna vulgaris
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Calluna vulgaris
Weaver's wave Idaea contiguaria	Near Threatened	Calluna vulgaris

Wild cherry Prunus 5

Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala	Endangered	any Prunus
The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	any Prunus
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Prunus
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	any Prunus
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Prunus

Bramble Rubus fruticosus 5

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Rubus fruticosus
Broom moth Ceramica pisi	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Rubus fruticosus

Field maple, sycamore Acer 3

Maple pug Eupithecia inturbata	Endangered	Acer campestre
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	Acer pseudoplatanus

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

Bracken Pteridium aquilinum 2

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

Rowan Sorbus aucuparia 2

Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	Sorbus aucuparia
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	Sorbus aucuparia

Hornbeam Carpinus betulus 1

Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria

Vulnerable

Carpinus betulus

Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa 1

Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria

Vulnerable

Castanea sativa

Dogwood Cornus sanguinea 1

Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria

Vulnerable

Cornus sanguinea

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