Bratoft Meadows

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 53.1523, 0.2187

Also within

Lincolnshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
TF484638 — Favourable 2.09 2014-06-26
TF484639 — Favourable 2.09 2014-06-26

Habitats

Hedgerow scrub

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk, Limestone

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
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

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
adders-tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum LC fern ophioglossaceae
creeping bent Agrostis stolonifera LC grass poaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
meaow fescue Schedonorus pratensis VU grass poaceae
green-winged orchid Anacamptis morio NT herb orchidaceae
betony Betonica officinalis VU herb lamiaceae
cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis LC herb brassicaceae
dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria LC herb fabaceae
cowslip Primula veris LC herb primulaceae
yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor DD herb orobanchaceae
great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis LC herb rosaceae
saw wort Serratula tinctoria VU herb asteraceae
ragged-robin Silene flos-cuculi LC herb carophyllaceae
devils-bit scabious Succisa pratensis VU herb caprifoliaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
crack willow Salix fragilis Not listed in GB list tree shrub salicaceae

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.

SpeciesStatusVia 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

Hedera 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

Hedera 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

Hedera 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