If you’ve ever been lucky enough to visit one of these places, you’ll know just how special the habitat is. So special, in fact, that ancient chalk downlands have been likened to rainforests for their bioabundance and diversity – which is arguably unmatched in the UK.  

Despite this, chalk downland is a significantly threatened habitat, and we’ve lost most of it in recent history due to the impacts of fragmentation, the intensification of development and agriculture, species loss, and the domination of coarse scrub that often follows. Traditionally, chalk downlands would have been grazed by wild rabbits and sheep that ate scrub and longer grasses, making way for rarer plants and insects. 

Now, conservation efforts are being made to protect and restore the remaining chalk downland areas. With the right management, they can be brought back to their former glory – think of Polhill Bank Nature Reserve, which is now once again home to rich wildflower meadow since we acquired it several years ago. 

If you’re looking to get out and about in a chalk downland and want to know what to look out for, or you’re just curious about what makes them so special, we’ve compiled a list of some of the species they harbour. 

Use the contents index below if you're interested in any specific class - or scroll at your leisure!

Click on the images above to find out the name of each species. You can also click on most of the species names in the table below to learn more about it.

You’ll typically see a wealth of wildflowers, scrub, and bushes at healthy chalk downlands. As for wildflowers, you can look out for: 

Two of the rarer or perhaps more intriguing types of plant found on chalk downlands, though, include dodder and various orchids. 

Scrub and bushes 

Typical chalk grasslands are dominated by wildflowers and grasses as you may imagine. Clusters of shrubs and bushes are dotted around healthy sites – but sometimes take over when left ungrazed and unmanaged. 

Scattered bushes may include red-berried hawthorn, guelder rose, dogwood (occasionally white-berried), and the purple-berried blackthorn and juniper as a low-growing shrub. Hawthorn and blackthorn provide shelter, nesting habitat, and berries for birds, as well as nectar for pollinators! 

Butterflies 

Because of the density of wildflowers, you’ll see quite a range of different butterflies at healthy chalk grassland sites. In fact, nearly a third of all British butterflies can be found in these habitats. Just a few include: 

• Small blue 

• Chalkhill blue 

• Dark green fritillary

• Marsh fritillary 

• Small white (aka cabbage white) 

• Marbled white 

• Green hairstreak 

• Brimstone 

• Orange-tip 

Moths 

As for moths, chalk grasslands are known for: 

• Bordered gothic 

• Pale shining brown 

• Four-spotted 

• Chalk carpet 

A rarer species that was close to extinction in 1995 is the black-veined moth – an almost entirely white moth with, you guessed it, black veins running through its wings. It feeds on marjoram, birds-foot trefoil, and other herbs. 

Crickets and beetles 

All the usual critters can be found in this habitat: ants, ground beetles, grasshoppers, and the like. The bloody-nosed beetle, in particular, can be seen with their bead-like antenna, feeding on lady’s bedstraw. They deploy a bright red defensive secretion if attacked – hence the name. 

Wart-biter bush cricket 

The wart-biter bush cricket takes its name from its purported ability to bite off warts in early cosmetic procedures! Now, it’s considered one of Britain’s most endangered species and is confined to just 6 sites in England. They need a mosaic habitat of both short and tall tussocky grassland, and lay their eggs singly in bare soil.  

You might spot them on a sunny day, but you’d be more likely to hear them stridulating! 

Hazel pot beetle 

The hazel pot beetle is a lovely bulbous beetle with a black thorax-covering and red wings – they could be mistaken from afar for ladybirds. It belongs to the leaf beetle family and is named as such because of the protective shell-like ‘pot’ that its larvae live in. 

They’ve suffered dramatic declines in the UK and are now classified as rare. 

Bees and hoverflies 

Of course, with any wildflower-rich habitat comes a variety of bees and hoverflies that play a pollination role in the ecosystem. 

Some special species include: 

• Phantom hoverfly 

• Red-tailed mason bee 

• Blue carpenter bee 

• Downland furrow bee 

• Shrill carder bee 

The potter flower bee, a solitary digger species, is considered one of England’s rarest bees, now confined to just a few sites along the southern coast. It has a unique nesting behaviour whereby it uses mud to build pot-like nests for its eggs. It’s also unique in its food preference, opting for plants like viper’s bugloss for nectar! 

Despite the lack of trees and foliage we typically think of as suited to birds, a few species reside in and rely on chalk grassland. Most often, you will spot ground-nesting birds like skylarks, but you might also see woodpeckers and linnets, particularly if there are scrubs or wooded areas nearby. 

The presence of ground-nesting birds is one of the reasons to be cautious when visiting chalk downland sites. It’s easy enough to simply not see their well-hidden eggs and tread onto them, so be sure to walk carefully and keep to pathways with dogs on leads. 

Today, most grazers are long-gone from wild spaces, but some conservation groups are reintroducing them as a nature-based solution to restore and protect chalk downland habitats. Kent Wildlife Trust are one such group, and we’re hoping to do exactly that at a proposed reserve we are looking to buy, opposite Polhill Bank in Sevenoaks. 

Finally, no list of chalk downland species would be complete without a firm nod to the many reptiles that reside there. 

Adder and viviparous lizards are frequently found basking on warm ground in areas with shorter vegetation, but they also rely on the nearby cover of shrubs and tall grasses to hide from predators. 

The future of chalk downlands 

Intrigued by the history of chalk downlands and the species that currently rely on them? Us too. We want to see a future where chalk downland habitats are protected, restored, and more joined-up – so that wildlife can thrive there. 

Polhill Bank was once arable land which we have since restored - with the help of our supporters - to stunning wildflower meadow. Through ongoing conservation work, we hope to see it transformed into rare, species-rich chalk grassland. 

As of 2024, we were given the exciting opportunity to extend and connect nearby habitats by purchasing additional land, including 26 acres just across the road from the existing reserve. We're so pleased to announce that our Protect Polhill appeal was a success and we raised the funds needed! Keep an eye out for updates to see how the project processes.

Chalk downland infographic