Mappp.co - Beagh Big

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Habitats

Description

Beagh Big Lowland meadow The area is of special scientific interest because of the richness of its grassland vegetation. In contrast to the majority of hay meadows in the region, the site is relatively dry and dominated by grasses with red fescue Festuca rubra, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, perennial ryegrass Lolium perenne and crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus all achieving high cover values. yellow oat grass Trisetum flavescens is frequent. There is an abundance of forbs such as bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus, yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor, red clover Trifolium pratense, black knapweed Centaurea nigra and lady's bedstraw Galium verum. Several rare or local plant species occur, including adder's tongue fern Ophioglossum vUlgatum and cowslip Primula veris. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/beagh-big-assi

Species mentioned

Show the 11 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status

English name search for this in other sites	Latin name search with Google	IUCN / Red List	Type	Family
crested dog's tail	Cynosurus cristatus	LC	grass	poaceae
red fescue	Festuca rubra	LC	grass	poaceae
Yorkshire fog	Holcus lanatus	LC	grass	poaceae
perennial rye-grass	Lolium perenne	LC	grass	poaceae
yellow oat grass	Trisetum flavescens	LC	grass	poaceae
black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	LC	herb	asteraceae
lady's bedstraw	Galium verum	LC	herb	rubiaceae
cowslip	Primula veris	LC	herb	primulaceae
bulbous buttercup	Ranunculus bulbosus	LC	herb	ranunculaceae
yellow-rattle	Rhinanthus minor	DD	herb	orobanchaceae
red clover	Trifolium pratense	LC	herb	fabaceae

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.

Species	Status	Via host-plant
Black-veined moth Siona lineata	Critically Endangered	Centaurea nigra
Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina	Endangered	Primula veris
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Centaurea spp., Galium spp., Rhinanthus minor
Garden dart Euxoa nigricans	Vulnerable	Trifolium spp.
White-line dart Euxoa tritici	Vulnerable	Galium verum
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca rubra
Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Ranunculus spp., Trifolium spp.
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	Trifolium spp.
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Galium spp.
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Centaurea spp.
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Holcus lanatus
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata	Near Threatened	Galium spp.

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.

Plant communities

MG4 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture

Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba officinalis grassland

Matches 11 species from the description above: Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Galium verum, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Primula veris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Rhinanthus minor, Trifolium pratense, Trisetum flavescens

Show 71 indicator species

Carex acutiformis, Carex hirta, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula campestris, Plagiomnium elatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium palustre, Hypochaeris radicata, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Serratula tinctoria, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Equisetum arvense, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Vicia sepium, Fritillaria meleagris, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica serpyllifolia, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Thalictrum flavum, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla anglica, Sanguisorba officinalis, Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Briza media, Bromopsis erecta, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Chara curta

MG5 — Lowland meadow and pasture, Traditional orchard

Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland

Matches 11 species from the description above: Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Galium verum, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Primula veris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Rhinanthus minor, Trifolium pratense, Trisetum flavescens

Show 81 indicator species

Carex caryophyllea, Carex flacca, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula campestris, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Pimpinella saxifraga, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Knautia arvensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Colchicum autumnale, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago media, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Agrimonia eupatoria, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla vestita, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla erecta, Potentilla reptans, Poterium sanguisorba, Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Koeleria macrantha, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Chara curta

MG8 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture

Cynosurus cristatus-Caltha palustris grassland

Matches 7 species from the description above: Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Rhinanthus minor, Trifolium pratense

Show 70 indicator species

Carex demissa, Carex distans, Carex flacca, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Eleocharis palustris, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Luzula campestris, Plagiomnium rostratum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Achillea ptarmica, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium palustre, Crepis paludosa, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Senecio aquaticus, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis scorpioides, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana dioica, Cerastium fontanum, Silene flos-cuculi, Equisetum arvense, Equisetum palustre, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus pedunculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Mentha aquatica, Euphrasia nemorosa, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Trollius europaeus, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Sanguisorba officinalis, Galium palustre, Galium uliginosum, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Glyceria declinata, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis, Dryopteris expansa