Prawle Point and Start Point Site of Special Scientific Interest
Encyclopedia
The Prawle Point and Start Point Site of Special Scientific Interest ( to ) is a 341.2 hectare
biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in southern Devon
, notified in 1976.
It includes the coastal headlands of Prawle Point
and Start Point
.
The soft cliffs between Prawle Point and Start Point are recognised as being one of the most important sites for solitary bees and wasps in the UK. Over 100 species have been recorded including many rare and scarce species.
This section of coast features an almost continuous 5km stretch of soft head deposits on a raised hard rock platform. These cliffs are south facing and feature sheltered coves, offering ideal conditions for thermophilic (warmth-loving) invertebrates. The friable cliff material and high temperatures attract large nesting aggregations of solitary bees and wasps which burrow into the cliff.
Prawle cliffs are the only site in the UK for the rare cuckoo bee
Nomada sexfasciata, this is a cleptoparasite of the Long-horned mining bee Eucera longicornis. Another rare species of particular note is the mason wasp Euodynerus quadrifasciatus. Currently, this is only known from three sites in the UK: East Prawle, West Weare (Portland, Dorset), and Thursley Common (Surrey).
Prawle is also an important site for the Cirl bunting
, and supports a rich lichen
assemblage.
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in southern Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, notified in 1976.
It includes the coastal headlands of Prawle Point
Prawle Point
Prawle Point is a coastal headland in south Devon, EnglandIt is the southernmost point of Devon.Access is from the village of East Prawle along a single-track road, at the end of which a National Trust car park is present....
and Start Point
Start Point, Devon
Start Point is a promontory in the South Hams district. It is one of the most southerly points in Devon, England, . It marks the southern limit of Start Bay, which extends northwards to the estuary of the River Dart....
.
The soft cliffs between Prawle Point and Start Point are recognised as being one of the most important sites for solitary bees and wasps in the UK. Over 100 species have been recorded including many rare and scarce species.
This section of coast features an almost continuous 5km stretch of soft head deposits on a raised hard rock platform. These cliffs are south facing and feature sheltered coves, offering ideal conditions for thermophilic (warmth-loving) invertebrates. The friable cliff material and high temperatures attract large nesting aggregations of solitary bees and wasps which burrow into the cliff.
Prawle cliffs are the only site in the UK for the rare cuckoo bee
Cuckoo bee
The term cuckoo bee is used for a variety of different bee lineages which have evolved the kleptoparasitic habit of laying their eggs in the nests of other bees, reminiscent of the behavior of cuckoo birds. The name is technically best applied to the apid subfamily Nomadinae...
Nomada sexfasciata, this is a cleptoparasite of the Long-horned mining bee Eucera longicornis. Another rare species of particular note is the mason wasp Euodynerus quadrifasciatus. Currently, this is only known from three sites in the UK: East Prawle, West Weare (Portland, Dorset), and Thursley Common (Surrey).
Prawle is also an important site for the Cirl bunting
Cirl Bunting
The Cirl Bunting , Emberiza cirlus, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae....
, and supports a rich lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
assemblage.
Source
- English Nature citation sheet for the site (accessed 3 November 2006)
External links
- English Nature website (SSSI information)
- Buglife website (more information about soft cliff invertebrates)