CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Horseshoe vetch
This yellow flowering plant is found only on chalk grassland sites in England.
When the seed pods are ripe they curl to form a horseshoe shape – hence the name! © Hippocrepis comosa/CC BY-SA comosa/CC © Hippocrepis
It has unusual circular flower Special feature 3 heads providing pollen
Found commonly on Spot me 2 chalk grassland
Provides food for bees, insects, Food facts chalkhill blue and common 9 blue butterflies
Vital stats 4 Grows to around 10cm tall
It is the only the only food source Amazing fact! 5 for the chalkhill blue butterfly! CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Salad Burnet
Salad burnet is a low lying herb found on chalk grassland.
Its flowers are red and speckled and can be seen between May and September. © Sanguisorba minor/CC BY-SA © Sanguisorba minor/CC
The leaves have an amazing Special feature smell of cucumber if crushed or 9 walked on!
Spot me 4 Flowers from May to September
This is a food plant for the Food facts 4 grizzled skipper butterfly
Vital stats 9 Can grow up to 50cm tall
This herb makes a great addition to salads, summer drinks and Amazing fact! 8 herb tea! CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Round-headed rampion
The round-headed rampion is a common sight on chalk grassland.
It is easily recognised by its deep blue, almost purple flowers. © Mary Shotter © Mary
Each flower is actually a Special feature collection of small flowers 5 grouped together
It usually flowers from May Spot me 4 to August
It provides a food source Food facts for many insects including 5 hoverflies
Vital stats 7 Grows up to 40cm tall
It is commonly known as the ‘Pride of Sussex’ and is also the Amazing fact! 5 County flower of Sussex CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Common spotted orchid
This is the most common variety of British orchids and grows well on north facing slopes.
It gets its name from the purple spots on its leaves.
It has a real variety of flower Special feature colours ranging from white to 3 pink and purple
It usually flowers from Spot me 4 June to August
It is particularly attractive to Food facts 6 day flying moths
Vital stats 10 Can grow up to 60cm tall
This orchid grows quickly in Amazing fact! 4 newly restored sites CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Common spotted orchid Bee orchid
This is the most common Bee orchids are self- variety of British orchids pollinating orchids and grows well on north in this country. facing slopes. However, they evolved It gets its name from the to look and smell just purple spots on its leaves. like a small hairy female bee! This was to attract male bees to pollinate the plants. © Nick Heasman/SDNPA © Nick
It has a real variety of flower Special feature colours ranging from white to Special feature Looks just like a female bee! 3 pink and purple 10
It usually flowers from Can be seen flowering in June and Spot me 4 June to August Spot me 7 July and is very easy to recognise
It is particularly attractive to Slugs and snails like to eat this Food facts 6 day flying moths Food facts 7 orchid – as do sheep!
Vital stats 10 Can grow up to 60cm tall Vital stats 6 Grows up to 30cm tall
This orchid grows quickly in A single flower is the result of Amazing fact! 4 newly restored sites Amazing fact! 7 up to eight years growth! CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Autumn gentian
This is a biennial plant— this means it makes a rosette of leaves in the first year and flowers in the late summer/autumn of the second year.
The flowers are mauve in colour and look like tubes with a flattened top. © Andy Horton
There are between 10-15 Special feature 4 flowers on each stem
Found on chalk grassland. Spot me It has purple flowers from July 5 to October
It provides a good food source Food facts 8 for many invertebrates
Vital stats 6 Grows up to 25cm tall
Gentians have been used throughout history as a Amazing fact! 9 medicine for tummy aches! CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Autumn gentian Wild thyme
This is a biennial plant— Wild thyme is a creeping, this means it makes a low lying shrub that is rosette of leaves in the commonly found on first year and flowers in chalk grassland. the late summer/autumn of the second year. It forms a mat covering the ground with The flowers are mauve in hundreds of small purple colour and look like tubes flowers giving off a with a flattened top. wonderful aroma. © SDNPA © Andy Horton
There are between 10-15 Produces a wonderful aromatic Special feature 4 flowers on each stem Special feature 8 scent when walked on
Found on chalk grassland. Evergreen shrub found on Spot me It has purple flowers from July Spot me chalk grassland 5 to October 3
It provides a good food source Very attractive to bees Food facts 8 for many invertebrates Food facts 8 and butterflies
Grows up to 2cm tall with Grows up to 25cm tall creeping stems around Vital stats 6 Vital stats 2 10cm long
Gentians have been used Rudyard Kipling called the throughout history as a Amazing fact! scent ‘dawn in paradise’ in his Amazing fact! 9 medicine for tummy aches! 6 poem ‘Sussex’ CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Adonis blue butterfly
The Adonis blue is a characteristic species of chalk grassland butterfly found over short, grazed grass.
The male has brilliantly coloured blue wings which give it it’s name, but the female is actually a rich, chocolate brown colour. © Derek Middleton © Derek
The Adonis blue can recolonise Special feature 7 sites up to 10km away
Found on chalk grassland, Spot me this butterfly prefers warm, 8 sunny slopes
The caterpillar survives by Food facts 4 eating horseshoe vetch
Vital stats 3 Wingspan of 3-4cm
The larvae of the Adonis blue Amazing fact! 6 are looked after by ants! CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Adonis blue butterfly Chalkhill blue butterfly
The Adonis blue is a This is a small blue characteristic species butterfly found commonly of chalk grassland on chalk grassland sites. butterfly found over The males are pale, milky- short, grazed grass. blue in colour and have a thin browny black border. The male has brilliantly coloured blue wings which The females are brown give it it’s name, but the with orange spots and a female is actually a rich, faint blue dusting.
chocolate brown colour. Hulme © Neil © Derek Middleton © Derek
This is a warmth loving The Adonis blue can recolonise butterfly and is usually found sites up to 10km away Special feature Special feature 7 3 on sunny slopes
Found on chalk grassland, Can be seen flying low above Spot me this butterfly prefers warm, Spot me chalk grassland, for six to eight 8 sunny slopes 7 weeks from July to September
The caterpillar survives by The caterpillars only eat Food facts 4 eating horseshoe vetch Food facts 3 horseshoe vetch
Vital stats 3 Wingspan of 3-4cm Vital stats 3 Wingspan of 3-4cm
Large numbers of males may The larvae of the Adonis blue Amazing fact! congregate on animal dung to Amazing fact! 6 are looked after by ants! 4 feed on minerals! CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Duke of Burgundy butterfly
This is a small, springtime butterfly that likes scrubby grassland sites.
Despite being rare it is responding well to conservation efforts in the South Downs National Park. © Neil Hulme © Neil
This species of butterfly Special feature prefers scrubby grassland 3 and woodland clearings
It is a rare butterfly that flies Spot me 9 from April to June
Its preferred source of food Food facts 5 is cowslip
Vital stats 3 Wingspan of 3cm
Males are very territorial and can have spectacular aerial Amazing fact! 9 ‘dog-fights’! CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Duke of Burgundy butterfly Wart-biter cricket
This is a small, springtime Wart-biter crickets are butterfly that likes usually dark green in scrubby grassland sites. colour with the female much larger than the male. Despite being rare it is responding well to They make a song made conservation efforts up of lots of short in the South Downs clicks which can last for National Park. several minutes. © Neil Hulme © Neil Lyons © Graeme
This species of butterfly Wart-biters usually move Special feature prefers scrubby grassland Special feature around by walking and rarely 3 and woodland clearings 6 fly except when scared
It is a rare butterfly that flies This is a very rare species found Spot me 9 from April to June Spot me 10 on chalk grassland
Its preferred source of food Eats plants as well as other Food facts 5 is cowslip Food facts 7 insects including grasshoppers
Vital stats 3 Wingspan of 3cm Vital stats 3 Only 3-4cm long
Males are very territorial and Used in Sweden in the 1700s to can have spectacular aerial bite warts from peoples skin! Amazing fact! 9 ‘dog-fights’! Amazing fact! 10 CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Quaking grass
This is one of the many different species of grasses found on chalk downland.
Other names for it include ‘dithery dock’, ‘jiggle joggles’ and ‘quakers and shakers’. © SDNPA
It has loose flower heads that Special feature literally ‘quake’ or wobble on the 4 stem when blown by the breeze
Commonly found on chalk Spot me grassland, this grass flowers 3 from June to September
Provides food for caterpillars of Food facts 5 the meadow brown butterfly
Vital stats 8 Grows up to 40cm tall
The flowers of quaking grass Amazing fact! 3 look a little like miniature hops CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK CHALK GRASSLAND NATIONAL PARK
Quaking grass Skylark
This is one of the many Skylarks are small brown different species of birds slightly bigger than grasses found on a sparrow with a lovely chalk downland. plume on their heads.
Other names for it They build their nests on include ‘dithery dock’, the ground in tufts ‘jiggle joggles’ and of grass and can be ‘quakers and shakers’. found on farmland and chalk grassland. © SDNPA © Derek Middleton © Derek
It has loose flower heads that Skylarks sing a beautiful song Special feature literally ‘quake’ or wobble on the Special feature as they fly 4 stem when blown by the breeze 8
Commonly found on chalk A nationally declining Spot me grassland, this grass flowers Spot me farmland bird species found 3 from June to September 6 on chalk grassland
Provides food for caterpillars of Food facts 5 the meadow brown butterfly Food facts 6 Eat seeds and insects
Vital stats 8 Grows up to 40cm tall Vital stats 5 14-18cm long
Skylarks perform a territorial The flowers of quaking grass aerial display that lasts up to look a little like miniature hops Amazing fact! 3 Amazing fact! 7 five minutes