Den of Fowlis

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 56.4844, -3.0962

Also within

Angus County

Condition (NatureScot)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Upland mixed ash woodland Favourable 2007-02-15

Description

DEN OF FOWLIS Den of Fowlis lies just west of the village of Liff on the northwest outskirts of Dundee. The Fowlis Burn runs through the Den from the village of Fowlis to the northwest. The Den is important for its mixed deciduous valley woodland of ash, wych elm and oak with a characteristic, herb-rich ground flora consists of species such as wild garlic Allium ursinum, wild hyacinth Hyacinthoides non-scripta and dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, and mosses and ferns. Although modified, the woodland at this site is the best remaining example of a once locally common but now rare habitat type.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
ramson Allium ursinum LC herb liliaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.