• Improved Grassland

As defined by DEFRA in their Countryside Survey report (2000):

Occuring on fertile soils, Improved Grassland is characterised by a few fast growing species that dominate. Examples of these species are rye grass (Lolium perenne) and white clover (Trifolium repens). Typically used for grazing and silage, this habitat type is often intensively managed using fertiliser and weed control treatments.

The following pictures illustrate a few of the Improved Grassland habitats on the farm:

Please see the the table below for a list of the species found in this habitat to date:

Common Name Scientific Name
Orange Tip Butterfly Anthocharis cardamines
Drinker Moth Euthrix potatoria
Common Blue Butterfly Polyommatus icarus
Small Copper Butterfly Lycaena phlaeas
Green Veined White Artogeia napi
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
Common Carpet Moth Epirrhoe alternata
Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Buff tailed Bumble bee Bombus terrestris
Red Ant Myrmica ruginodis
Soldier Beetle Cantharis sp
Red Headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
Yellow Dung Fly Scatophaga stercoraria
Cuckoo Spit Insect Philaenus spumarius
Smooth Newt Triturus vulgaris
Beaked Parsley Anthriscus sylvestris
Bluebell Endymion non scriptum
Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens
Daisy Bellis perennis
Dandelion Taraxacum officinale
Early Dog Violet Viola reichenbachiana
Garlic Mustard Alliaria officinalis
Germander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys
Gorse Ulex europaeus
Greater Stitchwort Stellaria holostea
Herb Robert Geranium robertianum
Lady's Smock Cardamine pratensis
Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria
Lesser Stitchwort Stellaria graminea
Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris
Ox-eye Daisy Crysanthemum leucanthemum
Silverweed Potentilla anserina
Sweet Violet Viola odorata
White Clover Trifolium repens
Creeping Bent Agrostis stolonifera
Perennial Rye Grass Lolium perenne
Sheep's Fescue Festuca ovina
Smooth Meadow Grass Poa pratensis
Timothy Phleum pratense
Upright Brome Bromus erectus
Wood Meadow Grass Poa nemoralis

Habitats on the farm