Mappp.co - Carrickastickan

Also within

Armagh County Ring of Gullion Scenic Area

Habitats

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous

Description

Carrickastickan Lowland meadow This area is of special scientific interest because of its species-rich dry grassland community. Species-rich grassland tends to occur only where land management is not intensive, in particular where traditional farming practices have been maintained. As a result, it is not a widespread habitat in Northern Ireland and is often fragmented, consisting of individual fields, parts of fields or banks. Species-rich dry grasslands, like those found at Carrickastickan, are a particularly scarce resource even in south Armagh, where there is known to be a greater proportion of this habitat type. Carrickastickan is situated on the southern edge of the Ring-of-Gullion, about 2 km south of Forkhill. Soils are free draining brown rankers, derived from felsite parent material, a basic igneous rock. The two field parcels making up the site slope from north-east to south-west. The grassland at Carrickastickan is of a species-rich dry type. It is a similar grassland community to that which is considered to be the natural grassland type of traditionally managed pastures on circumneutral soils throughout great Britain. The two fields are typically grass dominated with a wide range of associated herbs. The grasses crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, red fescue Festuca rubra common bent Agrostis capillaris and sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum are constant in the sward with other "grass-like" species such as field wood rush Luzula campestris also found scattered throughout. Herbs typical of traditionally managed grasslands are frequent throughout the swards and include oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor, yarrow Achillea millefolium, common knapweed Centaurea nigra, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii and meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris. Where soils are thin lady's bedstraw Galium verum and birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus are locally very abundant with a range of other small herbs including fairy flax Linum catharticum, eyebright Euphrasia officinalis and bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus. These species reflect the slightly base-rich soil conditions. In addition field scabious Knautia arvensis and burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga occur in one of the fields. Both of these species have a fairly restricted distribution in Northern Ireland with the former usually being more associated with verges than pastures and the latter with only a few known sites in County Armagh. Carrickastickan is an area of semi-natural grassland managed in a traditional way. As such, it provides valuable feeding and roosting sites for a range of animals, including birds and invertebrates. A variety of butterflies have been recorded in the area including meadow brown Maniola jurtina and common blue Polyommatus icarus. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/carrickastickan-assi

Species mentioned

Show the 21 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
meadow brown	Maniola jurtina	LC	butterfly	nymphalidae
common blue	Polyommatus icarus	LC	butterfly	lycaenidae
common bent	Agrostis capillaris	LC	grass	poaceae
sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	LC	grass	poaceae
crested dog's tail	Cynosurus cristatus	LC	grass	poaceae
red fescue	Festuca rubra	LC	grass	poaceae
yarrow	Achillea millefolium	LC	herb	asteraceae
black knapweed	Centaurea nigra	LC	herb	asteraceae
spotted orchids	Dactylorhiza fuchsii	LC	herb	orchidaceae
English sticky eyebright	Euphrasia officinalis	LC	herb	orobanchaceae
lady's bedstraw	Galium verum	LC	herb	rubiaceae
field scabious	Knautia arvensis	LC	herb	caprifoliaceae
meadow vetchling	Lathyrus pratensis	LC	herb	fabaceae
oxeye daisy	Leucanthemum vulgare	LC	herb	asteraceae
fairy flax	Linum catharticum	LC	herb	linaceae
birdsfoot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	LC	herb	fabaceae
burnet saxifrage	Pimpinella saxifraga	NT	herb	apiaceae
meadow buttercup	Ranunculus acris	DD	herb	ranunculaceae
bulbous buttercup	Ranunculus bulbosus	LC	herb	ranunculaceae
yellow-rattle	Rhinanthus minor	DD	herb	orobanchaceae
field wood rush	Luzula campestris	LC	rush	juncaceae

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, Lotus corniculatus
New forest Zygaena viciae	Critically Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus
Straw belle Aspitates gilvaria	Endangered	Achillea millefolium, Linum catharticum, Lotus corniculatus
Wood white Leptidea sinapis	Endangered	Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus
Heath fritillary Melitaea athalia	Endangered	Achillea millefolium
Slender scotch Zygaena loti	Endangered	Lotus corniculatus
Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Dingy skipper Erynnis tages	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia	Vulnerable	Knautia arvensis
Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata	Vulnerable	Centaurea spp., Galium spp., Rhinanthus minor
White-line dart Euxoa tritici	Vulnerable	Galium verum
Grayling Hipparchia semele	Vulnerable	Festuca rubra
Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii	Vulnerable	Galium spp.
Silver studded blue Plebejus argus	Vulnerable	Lotus corniculatus
Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis	Near Threatened	Ranunculus spp.
Latticed heath Chiasmia clathrata	Near Threatened	Lathyrus pratensis
No common name Chrysolina marginata	Near Threatened	Achillea millefolium
Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp., Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp.
Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa	Near Threatened	Galium spp.
Tawny speckled Eupithecia icterata	Near Threatened	Achillea millefolium
Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata	Near Threatened	Achillea millefolium, Centaurea spp., Pimpinella saxifraga
Bordered pug Eupithecia succenturiata	Near Threatened	Achillea millefolium
Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae	Near Threatened	Centaurea nigra
Wall Lasiommata megera	Near Threatened	Agrostis spp.
Swallowtail papilio Papilio machaon	Near Threatened	Pimpinella saxifraga
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

MG5 — Lowland meadow and pasture, Traditional orchard

Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland

Matches 16 species from the description above: Achillea millefolium, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Galium verum, Knautia arvensis, Lathyrus pratensis, Leucanthemum vulgare, Lotus corniculatus, Luzula campestris, Pimpinella saxifraga, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Rhinanthus minor

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

MG4 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture

Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba officinalis grassland

Matches 14 species from the description above: Achillea millefolium, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Galium verum, Lathyrus pratensis, Leucanthemum vulgare, Lotus corniculatus, Luzula campestris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Rhinanthus minor

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

MG8 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture

Cynosurus cristatus-Caltha palustris grassland

Matches 10 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Centaurea nigra, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Leucanthemum vulgare, Lotus corniculatus, Luzula campestris, Ranunculus acris, Rhinanthus minor

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