Picket and Clanger Wood is a 66.9-hectare (165.3 acres) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the outskirts of Heywood, in Wiltshire.^[1][2]

The ancient woodland contains a wide variety of flowers, supporting an “outstanding” range of butterfly and moth species, two of which are vulnerable in Great Britain.^[1]

Most of the site overlies Oxford Clay and slopes gently towards the north-west; the steeper gradients of the southern and eastern edges are associated with Corallian Lower Calcareous Grit.^[1]

Flora and fauna

Flora

Although almost two-thirds of the site has been planted with conifers, much of the rich semi-natural vegetation has been retained. Typical woodland flowers including primrose (Primula vulgaris) and common dog violet (Viola riviniana) are plentiful, and more than forty plant species indicative of ancient woodland have been recorded on the site.^[1]

Fauna

At least thirty species of butterflies are known to be resident at the site, and more than 300 species of moth, including the rare small eggar (Eriogaster lanestris). Breeding species of birds include the nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus).^[1]

Common lizards (Zootoca vivipara), stoats (Mustela erminea) and weasels (Mustela nivalis), have also been found in the wood, together with smaller mammals such as the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), and pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus).^[1]