Hartslock
Encyclopedia
Hartslock Nature Reserve is an 11-acre (4.5 hectare) section of the much larger Hartslock SSSI near Goring-on-Thames, south Oxfordshire
, England
. The reserve is primarily south-facing chalk downland surrounded by thick, ancient hedges and narrow tracts of mixed yew
and deciduous woodland.
The site has a very rich diversity of species characteristic of the habitat, including:
Hartslock is open to the public throughout the year. Dogs should be kept on a lead because livestock is often kept on-site.
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The reserve is primarily south-facing chalk downland surrounded by thick, ancient hedges and narrow tracts of mixed yew
Taxus
Taxus is a genus of yews, small coniferous trees or shrubs in the yew family Taxaceae. They are relatively slow-growing and can be very long-lived, and reach heights of 1-40 m, with trunk diameters of up to 4 m...
and deciduous woodland.
The site has a very rich diversity of species characteristic of the habitat, including:
- Monkey orchids (Orchis simia), Lady orchidLady orchidThe Lady Orchid is an herbaceous plant belonging to the Genus Orchis of the family Orchidaceae.-Description: Orchis purpurea reaches on average of height. The leaves are broad and oblong-lanceolate, forming a rosette about the base of the plant and surrounding the flower spike. They are fleshy...
s (Orchis purpurea) and the hybrid between both species - rare plants such as Bastard Toadflax (Thesium humifusum), Downy-fruited Sedge, Dodder and Slender Bedstraw
- Dingy SkipperDingy SkipperThe Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages, is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It ranges from Europe across Asia Minor and Central Asia to the Amur region.Erynnis tages favours open grassy habitats up to 2,000 metres above sea level...
(Erynnis tages), Grizzled SkipperGrizzled SkipperThe Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family.-Appearance, behaviour and distribution:With its characteristic chequered black and white pattern this butterfly is quite distinctive although old, faded individuals can be mistaken for the Dingy Skipper or the Sideridis...
(Pyrgus malvae) and Green HairstreakGreen HairstreakThe Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.Callophrys rubi is found in Europe, North Africa, Russia, Asia Minor, Siberia, Amurland , Baluchistan and Chitral....
(Callophrys rubi) butterflies - Club-tailed dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimusGomphus vulgatissimusThe Common Club-tail is a medium sized species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. It is found in most of Europe and is present now in the south of France. Its natural habitat are clean, streaming rivers and creeks with sandy soil. It can be seen from mid-April in the south to August. Once they...
) is a frequent visitor in May, flying up from the Thames - Ephemera lineata, a rare mayflyMayflyMayflies are insects which belong to the Order Ephemeroptera . They have been placed into an ancient group of insects termed the Palaeoptera, which also contains dragonflies and damselflies...
also swarms in thousands on the site during the mating season - Mecyna flavalis, a rare day-flying moth seen commonly in July
Hartslock is open to the public throughout the year. Dogs should be kept on a lead because livestock is often kept on-site.