Flora and Fauna

Over 330 different plants have been recorded in the wood including more than 50 species of tree. These mainly consist of Corsican and Scots pine, silver birch and both pendunculate and sessile oak. The uncommon wild service tree and midland hawthorn are present on the bank.

As the season progresses the following are just a few of the flowers that may be seen – lesser celandine, wood anemone, primrose, bluebell, ragged robin, bee and spotted orchids, germander speedwell, greater birdsfoot trefoil, red bartsia, common centaury and devil’s-bit scabious.

Muntjac deer may frequently be seen and heard. Five species of bat have been recorded. Common birds include buzzard, sparrowhawk, kestrel, green and great spotted woodpeckers, various tits and warblers, jay, nuthatch, treecreeper, lesser redpoll, siskin, moorhen and mallard.

There are several ponds containing great-crested and smooth newts with hundreds of frogs. Grass snakes and slow-worms may be found nearby. White admirals, purple hairstreaks, marbled whites, commas, speckled woods, gatekeepers and ringlets are among many butterflies present in this important Warwickshire site for lepidoptera.

Many dragonflies are to be seen such as brown hawker, black-tailed skimmer and emperor. Migrant hawkers and common darters are numerous in the early autumn.The wood is host to many other insects of which there are several rare hoverflies, sawflies and beetles.

Nearly 500 different fungi have been identified, including many fly agarics under the silver birch trees. The conifers are colonised by a variety of uncommon bracket fungi.

Brandon Wood has been designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation by Rugby Borough Council. Their wildlife site evaluation form (pdf format) gives more details of the flora and fauna in the wood.