These magical and globally-scarce places are dominated by a certain group of plants, the heathers. Heathers belong to the family Ericacea which includes a range of plants including Junipers. These plants are classified as woody shrubs and the leaves are usually evergreen, which means they do not lose their leaves. They flower from July to September in shades of pink and purple, making them very colourful and easy to distinguish in the landscape.

Why is heather so important? Well, it provides a safe nesting place for three very special heathland bird species - the Dartford Warbler, the Woodlark and the enigmatic European Nightjar. You can also find a range of British reptiles including Adders and Sand Lizards hiding out around the heather, and not to mention the many species of invertebrates including a huge range of beetles and spiders that can also be found in the heathland.

In the UK, we have three main species of heather: Common, Bell and Cross Leaved.  We shall meet them all below.

Common Heather

Common Heather (Calluna vulgaris), otherwise known as common ling, is as the name suggests very common. During the flowering season it will cover any heathland with its bright pink flowers. It is an important food source for several species of butterflies and moths including the Emperor Moth. This bright heather can live for up to twenty years. It is able to flower throughout its long life stages as long as it has found the right conditions to thrive in.

Bell Heather

Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) is similar, yet it tends to flower earlier in July. The flower produced is bell shaped, hence its name. It provides nectar for a range of insects including the rare Silver-studded Blue butterfly. Bees also love heather and the honey that is produced is often dark, fragrant, and extremely popular. Butterflies will likewise consume nectar on the heather.

Cross-leaved Heather

Cross-leaved Heather (Erica tetralix) is slightly different as it prefers a wetter environment and so it is often found in boggier, softer areas. It gets its name from the leaves growing up the stem in whorls of four. One moth species whose larva feed on this plant is the Shoulder-striped Clover; it is a Red Data Book species only found on a handful on heathlands, placing it in the endangered category. Heather is an essential flower for many species of invertebrates; for instance, there are some micro moths that only feed on the plant and some that only feed on one specific species.

Being able to accurately identify these three simple plants via satellite imagery will be vital for the Space4Nature project. It will help us identify and categorise more heathland areas and then take steps to protect and connect them. Heathlands are not just important due to the diversity of wildlife they attract - they are also great at storing carbon, which in turn could help us battle climate change. We therefore need to do more to protect our heaths and help rectify their declining prevalence within our natural world – and helping us map and study them through the Space4Nature project is a splendid way for local people to play a part in this.

Find out more about our Space4Nature project.