Chaddesden Wood is home to a wide spectrum of wildlife and plants.
Wildlife
• Trees
Primarily Pedunculate Oak, with occasional Sycamore, Beech, Hornbeam, frequent Holly and abundant Hazel. Birch, Oak and Sycamore saplings are frequent and there are scattered Hawthorn and Elder. Bramble up to 1 metre high with patches of creeping soft-grass and bluebell between. Bracken and rosebay willowherb occur locally. In the west Rhododendron forms the main element of a poorer shrub layer with localised snowberry. Lime Lane Wood is primarily even-aged canopy of mature Oak and Silver Birch.
Primarily Pedunculate Oak, with occasional Sycamore, Beech, Hornbeam, frequent Holly and abundant Hazel. Birch, Oak and Sycamore saplings are frequent and there are scattered Hawthorn and Elder. Bramble up to 1 metre high with patches of creeping soft-grass and bluebell between. Bracken and rosebay willowherb occur locally. In the west Rhododendron forms the main element of a poorer shrub layer with localised snowberry. Lime Lane Wood is primarily even-aged canopy of mature Oak and Silver Birch.
• Birds
• Butterflies
Whilst a detailed survey of the butterfly population in the wood has not been undertaken, some species information is included in the Management Plan. However, the wood does contain the uncommon Purple Hairstreak butterfly, which can be found at the tops of the taller Oak trees during June/July. Other butterflies known to inhabit the wood are the Speckled Wood, Orange Tip, Peacock, White and Small Blue.
Whilst a detailed survey of the butterfly population in the wood has not been undertaken, some species information is included in the Management Plan. However, the wood does contain the uncommon Purple Hairstreak butterfly, which can be found at the tops of the taller Oak trees during June/July. Other butterflies known to inhabit the wood are the Speckled Wood, Orange Tip, Peacock, White and Small Blue.
• Bats
As part of the fulfillment for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology at the University of Derby, one of our members (Vanessa Amaral-Rogers) undertook a Study into the Habitat Use of Common Pipistrelle Bats in an Urban Environment during 2011. This used garden, street and field habitats around Chaddesden Wood to survey, which confirmed the existence of at least 5 bat species. The species identified using bat detectors were Common Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle, Noctule, Serotine amd Myotis sp. The Myotis is notoriously difficult to identify, and includes the Alcathoe's, Bechstein's, Brandt's, Daubenton's, Greater Mouse, Whiskered and Natterer's bat species. The latter two species are both defined as existing in the wood in the LNR Management Plan.
A Bat Watch was held in the wood on the evening of Friday, 27 July 2012, as part of the Wild Derby programme. Using bat detectors loaned from Derby City Council and led by a specialist from the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, the evening identified large numbers of Common Pippistrelle, with single Brant's and Whiskered (both of which are members of the Myotis sp. family). A new site species in the form of the Brown Long-Eared bat was also identified, bring the type numbers up to six.
As part of the fulfillment for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology at the University of Derby, one of our members (Vanessa Amaral-Rogers) undertook a Study into the Habitat Use of Common Pipistrelle Bats in an Urban Environment during 2011. This used garden, street and field habitats around Chaddesden Wood to survey, which confirmed the existence of at least 5 bat species. The species identified using bat detectors were Common Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle, Noctule, Serotine amd Myotis sp. The Myotis is notoriously difficult to identify, and includes the Alcathoe's, Bechstein's, Brandt's, Daubenton's, Greater Mouse, Whiskered and Natterer's bat species. The latter two species are both defined as existing in the wood in the LNR Management Plan.
A Bat Watch was held in the wood on the evening of Friday, 27 July 2012, as part of the Wild Derby programme. Using bat detectors loaned from Derby City Council and led by a specialist from the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, the evening identified large numbers of Common Pippistrelle, with single Brant's and Whiskered (both of which are members of the Myotis sp. family). A new site species in the form of the Brown Long-Eared bat was also identified, bring the type numbers up to six.
• Aquatic Invertebrates & Amphibians
Whilst most of the ponds are ephemeral, they do include a good population of Common Frog and, to a lesser extent, some Common Toad.
Whilst most of the ponds are ephemeral, they do include a good population of Common Frog and, to a lesser extent, some Common Toad.
Great Spotted Woodpecker by Ian Bradley
Treecreeper by Ian Bradley
Poplar Hawk Moth
Swallowtail
A Moth Watch was held in the wood on the evening of Friday, 27 July 2012, as part of the Wild Derby programme. Using mercury vapour lights and materials supplied by the Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire Entomological Society (DANES), two sites in the wood collected 42 types of moths and 2 beetles. Further information on the moth and beetle types can be found here
A monthly species list and volumes was compiled by a group member during 2012, and the results will be available later this year. A preliminary bird study was undertaken in April 2010 and a species report can be found here