Drumcarn ASSI

Drumcarn is a large site with a wide range of habitats and vegetation communities. It has developed in a series of old peat cuttings between heath covered rocky outcrops. The diversity provided by open water, swamp and fen provides valuable habitat for wetland invertebrates, and several rare species of plants and animals have been recorded. Wet grassland, heath and scrub add further diversity to the site.

Drumcarn is one of the best sites in Northern Ireland for Odonata (dragonflies) with14 species recorded, including the rare Irish damselfly. In addition, a large colony of the marsh fritillary butterfly is found.

A number of other notable invertebrates were recorded for the site including the whirligig beetle Gyrinus natator.