Laxo Burn
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Vascular plant assemblage | Favourable | — | 2012-12-19 |
Description
LAXO BURN Laxo Burn enters the sea at Laxo, 3.5 km east of Voe in Mainland Shetland. The small meadow at the mouth of the burn is notified for its vascular plant assemblage containing the only known population of weak-leaved hawkweed, Hieracium attenuatifolium and another Shetland endemic hawkweed – Hieracium dilectum. A third species formerly recorded here, H. pugsleyi, is now thought to be extinct. H. attenuatifolium is specially protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Most plants are found along the grassy banks of the burn down to sea level. Also present along the burn sides are a number of unusually robust specimens of the native eared willow, Salix aurita. Within Shetland there are 24 species belonging to the genus Hieracium, (commonly known as hawkweeds). Of these, more than half (14 species) belong to the Section Alpestria, a group restricted to Scandinavia, Greenland, Faeroe and the British Isles. The section Alpestria has 19 British representatives, but all 14 species occurring in Shetland are endemic to the islands.
Species mentioned
Show the 3 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a hawkweed | Hieracium attenuatifolium | Not listed in GB list | herb | asteraceae |
| charming hawkweed | Hieracium dilectum | Not listed in GB list | herb | asteraceae |
| eared willow | Salix aurita | LC | 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.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | Salix spp. |
| Glanville fritillary Melitaea cinxia |
Endangered | Hieracium spp. |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Salix spp. |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Hieracium spp. |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | Salix spp. |
| Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta |
Vulnerable | Salix spp. |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | Salix spp. |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Hieracium spp., Salix spp. |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | Salix spp. |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | Salix spp. |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Garden tiger Arctia caja |
Near Threatened | Salix aurita |
| Minor shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis |
Near Threatened | Salix aurita |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Dingy mocha Cyclophora pendularia |
Near Threatened | Salix aurita |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | Salix spp. |
| Broad-barred white Hecatera bicolorata |
Near Threatened | Hieracium 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.