Bratoft Meadows
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TF484638 | — | Favourable | 2.09 | 2014-06-26 |
| TF484639 | — | Favourable | 2.09 | 2014-06-26 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk, Limestone
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| cuckoo | Unknown |
Description
Area,2.2 ha Description The best example of species rich neutral grassland in North Lincolnshire. One of the remaining areas of permanent grassland not dominated by plants associated with chalk and limestone. Two adjacent fields which border the Cowcroft drain are divided by a high hedge of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna with fine specimens of pollarded crack willow Salix fragilis. Both are managed as hay meadows and are grazed after cutting. They are dominated by sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, red fescue Festuca rubra, meadow fescue Schedonorus pratensis and creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera and a rich sward includes betony Betonica officinalis, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, cowslip Primula veris, adder's tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum and saw wort Serratula tinctoria. Wetter areas have cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis and ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi. The southern field has abundant green winged orchid Anacamptis morio. A third field separated from the others by a narrow strip of improved pasture is dominated by the same grasses as the other meadows and, like them includes yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis and devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis. It is cut for hay. The site as a whole attracts large numbers of butterflies and 18 species of terrestrial mollusc are recorded.
Species mentioned
Show the 17 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusInsects 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reddish buff Acosmetia caliginosa |
Critically Endangered | Serratula tinctoria |
| Figure of eight Diloba caeruleocephala |
Endangered | Crataegus spp. |
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp. |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Crataegus spp., Salix spp. |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Serratula tinctoria |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Salix spp. |
| Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta |
Vulnerable | Salix spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus spp., Salix spp. |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Succisa pratensis |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Rhinanthus minor, Salix spp. |
| Grayling Hipparchia semele |
Vulnerable | Festuca rubra |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp. |
| Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna |
| Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata |
Vulnerable | Genista tinctoria |
| Early moth Theria primaria |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp. |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp. |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp. |
| Grey chi Antitype chi |
Near Threatened | Crataegus monogyna |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp., Festuca spp. |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp., Salix spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis, Crataegus monogyna, Salix spp. |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Crataegus spp., Salix spp. |
| Wall Lasiommata megera |
Near Threatened | Agrostis spp. |
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
W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub
Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 2 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Festuca rubra
Show 40 indicator speciesHedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Matches 1 species from the description above: Crataegus monogyna
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Matches 1 species from the description above: Festuca rubra
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas