Milden Thicks

Also within

Suffolk County

Condition (Natural England)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
TL943451	—	Unfavourable Recovering	5.26	2008-09-25
TL947443	—	Unfavourable Recovering	2.98	2008-09-25
TL947448	—	Unfavourable Recovering	4.39	2008-09-25
TL949448	—	Unfavourable Recovering	4.5	2008-09-25
TL953442	—	Unfavourable Recovering	21.1	2010-05-21
TL954440	—	Unfavourable Recovering	0.99	2010-05-26
TL956440	—	Favourable	0.07	2010-12-01
TL957440	—	Favourable	0.1	2010-05-26
TL958442	—	Unfavourable Recovering	2.91	2010-09-30

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Species	Season
cuckoo	Breeding

Description

Area, 46.9 ha. 116.0 ac. Description The Milden Thicks Woods are an important and inter related group of ancient woods forming a transition from the mainly ash maple hazel woods of Mid Suffolk to the lime and lineage elm woods of South Suffolk. The tendency of East Anglian woods to be a complex mosaic of different woodland types reaches its extreme in the Milden Thicks. Maple wood, maple hazel, ash hazel, hornbeam, lime and suckering elm are all present within the group. Some of this variation can be explained by differences of soil and history. The earthworks of the woods are elaborate and to some extent are related to the occurrence of trees such as lime which occurs in all the woods apart from Long. All the woods are of ecological and historical interest as individual woods. As a group they are of national importance for the comparison that can be made between them, especially in explaining the ecological behaviour of trees and the distribution of tree communities. The woods are in good condition, of coppice with standards structure, although they have suffered from decades without coppicing and consequent excessive shade. The ground flora in the woods is rich and typical of ancient woodland, with that of Walding Wood outstandingly so. Bull's Cross Wood lies on the site of four ancient woods which were combined in the late Middle Ages. It has the most elaborately complex patchwork of different types of woodland in Suffolk including oak Quercus robur, ash Fraxinus excelsior, maple Acer campestre, hornbeam Carpinus betulus, lime Tilia cordata, aspen Populus tremuloides, wild cherry Prunus avium, birch Betula pendula and elm Ulmus glabra. The coppice understorey includes hazel Corylus avellana with both common and midland hawthorns Crataegus monogyna and Crataegus laevigata, guelder rose Viburnum opulus, spindle Euonymus europaeus and dogwood Cornus sanguinea present. The ground flora, although dominated by bramble Rubus sp has an equal variety of species including violet helleborine Epipactis purpurata, bird's nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis, twayblade Neottia ovata, spurge laurel Daphne laureola, primrose Primula vulgaris, violets Viola sp and sanicle sanicle europaea. Among the smaller woods, Walding is one of the most interesting small woods in Suffolk. It has a rich flora especially in plants typical of ancient woodland including midland hawthorn, early purple orchid Orchis mascula, cuckoo pint Arum maculatum and hairy wood rush Luzula pilosa. It has fine woodland types in its seven acres and its name suggests some special social importance in the remote past. Ancient stools of hornbeam, lime, ash, lineage elm and maple are found in the wood, with a 'wall' of lime stools forming part of the boundary. Oak standards and hazel coppice are frequent in the wood. Hall and hazel appear to be unaltered medieval woods; they have many tree communities maple hazel, ash hazel, hornbeam and lime being the dominants. Large stools of hornbeam, lime, ash and maple occur amongst hazel coppice, oak is the dominant standard. At number of wild service trees Sorbus torminalis are found in the wood. These are well developed wood banks in the wood. Long and Bull's are also interesting and complex ancient woods containing lime and wild service amongst the other stand types.

Species mentioned

Show the 24 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

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

American aspen Populus 6

The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Populus
Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta	Vulnerable	any Populus
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	any Populus
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	any Populus
The sallow Cirrhia icteritia	Near Threatened	any Populus
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Populus

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

Lime small leaved Tilia 4

The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Tilia
Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria	Vulnerable	any Tilia
September thorn Ennomos erosaria	Near Threatened	any Tilia
Scarce hook-tip Sabra harpagula	Near Threatened	Tilia cordata

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

Field maple Acer campestre 2

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

Hornbeam Carpinus betulus 1

Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria

Vulnerable

Carpinus betulus

Dogwood Cornus sanguinea 1

Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria

Vulnerable

Cornus sanguinea

Primrose Primula vulgaris 1

Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina

Endangered

Primula vulgaris

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.