Yellow House Meadow

Also within

Worcestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Unit	Feature	Condition	Area (ha)	Assessed
SO966527	—	Part Destroyed	1.79	2015-03-26

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic

Description

Description Yellow House Meadow is located on the East Worcestershire plain near the village of Naunton Beauchamp. It is a traditionally managed hay meadow overlying a medieval ridge and furrow system. The soils are predominantly neutral with a slight calcareous influence, derived from the underlying Lower Lias clays of the Jurassic period. The special interest of this site lies in the diversity of the semi natural grassland sward which has been maintained under traditional management by hay cutting and grazing, and is of a type which is nationally scarce and declining. The vegetation conforms with the mesotrophic neutral grassland characterised by common knapweed Centaurea nigra and crested dog’s tail Cynosurus cristatus. The undulating topography of the ridge and furrow increases the diversity of the grassland giving rise to two sub communities of this grassland type. Frequent within the seasonally wet furrows are meadow foxtail Alopecurus pratensis, tall fescue Schedonorus arundinaceus, rough meadow grass Poa trivialis, glaucous sedge Carex flacca and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria. In contrast, the dominant grasses on the ridges are sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, downy oat grass Avenula pubescens, meadow brome Bromus commutatus and red fescue Festuca rubra. Associated herbs include oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, common birds foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, black medick Medicago lupulina, cowslip Primula veris and yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor agg. Uncommon and lime loving Calcicole species found occasionally throughout the sward are adder’s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, hoary plantain Plantago media, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba and pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus. The whole meadow is surrounded by tall, well structured hedgerows with thick scrubby bases. Shrubs and trees found in these hedgerows include English elm Ulmus procera, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, blackthorn Prunus spinosa, field maple Acer campestre, ash Fraxinus excelsior, crack willow Salix fragilis, dogwood Cornus sanguinea and crab apple Malus sylvestris. The meadow supports a strong colony of the common blue butterfly Polyommatus icarus.

Species mentioned

Show the 30 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.

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 monogyna
Early moth Theria primaria	Vulnerable	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

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

Crack willow Salix 14

The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	any Salix
Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Salix
The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx	Vulnerable	any Salix
Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta	Vulnerable	any Salix
Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria	Vulnerable	any Salix
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	any Salix
The lackey Malacosoma neustria	Vulnerable	any Salix
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	any Salix
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	any Salix
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	any Salix
The sallow Cirrhia icteritia	Near Threatened	any Salix
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Salix
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	any Salix
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Salix

English elm Ulmus 10

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	any Ulmus
White-letter hairstreak Satyrium w-album	Endangered	any Ulmus
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
Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola	Near Threatened	any Ulmus
Dusky-lemon sallow Cirrhia gilvago	Near Threatened	Ulmus procera
Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria	Near Threatened	any Ulmus
Double dart Graphiphora augur	Near Threatened	any Ulmus

Birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus 8

Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus

Black knapweed Centaurea 4

Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Centaurea nigra
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	any Centaurea
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	any Centaurea
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra

Hoary plantain Plantago 4

Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	any Plantago
Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	any Plantago
Garden tiger Arctia caja	Near Threatened	any Plantago
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	any Plantago

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

Glaucus sedge Carex flacca 2

Least minor Photedes captiuncula	Endangered	Carex flacca
Rosy minor Litoligia literosa	Near Threatened	Carex flacca

Red fescue Festuca 2

Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca rubra
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	any Festuca

Meadow sweet Filipendula ulmaria 2

Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens	Endangered	Filipendula ulmaria
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Filipendula ulmaria

Crab apple Malus 2

The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia	Endangered	any Malus
Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi	Vulnerable	Malus sylvestris

Salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba 2

Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Poterium sanguisorba
Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae	Vulnerable	Poterium sanguisorba

Dogwood Cornus sanguinea 1

Pale brindled Phigalia pilosaria

Vulnerable

Cornus sanguinea

Crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus 1

Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus

Near Threatened

Cynosurus cristatus

Black medick Medicago lupulina 1

Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria

Endangered

Medicago lupulina

Rough meadow grass Poa 1

Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus

Near Threatened

any Poa

Cowslip Primula veris 1

Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina

Endangered

Primula veris

Yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor 1

Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata

Vulnerable

Rhinanthus minor

Tall fescue Schedonorus arundinaceus 1

Morris's wainscot Photedes morrisii

Vulnerable

Schedonorus arundinaceus

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.