Nature & Heritage

Invertebrates

While the Flow Country may look flat, it is complex and diverse ecosystem. The array of different mosses and other plants, and the various bodies of water provide habitats for many different types of invertebrates. The best time to see invertebrates in the Flow Country is between June and August.

The information here is far from exhaustive, but should give an impression of the diversity of invertebrates found within the Flow Country.

Moths and Butterflies

From the instantly recognisable peacock butterfly to tiny tortrix moths, the Flow Country has an abundance of butterflies and moths. Moths and butterflies are likely under-recorded in the Flow Country, but throughout Caithness, over 500 species have been recorded, and these numbers are similar in West Sutherland.

Northern Eggar

The large, fuzzy caterpillars of the northern eggar moth are a common sight in the Flow Country, and occasionally male moths can be seen flying by day. Like many moth species found in northern Scotland, these moths have two year life cycles, overwintering as caterpillars in their first year and as a pupa in their second. This is an adaption to cope with the short growing seasons.

Large Heath

Large heath butterflies like boggy, acidic, wet habitats so are naturally found throughout the Flow Country! These butterflies have less prominent spots the further north you go, the ones found in the Flow Country are almost completely spotless.

Green Carpet

The long summer days in the far north of Scotland make for good opportunities to see night-flying moths in daylight!

Drinker Moth

Another large caterpillar easily spotted in the Flow Country. Its name comes from the caterpillar's apparent habit of drinking dew drops from grass.

Silver Y

Not all moths are night-fliers, some, like the silver y, fly during the day! This moth's name comes from the small markings on its wing which look like the letter y.

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Did you know?

Ten of the Highland’s 18 dragonfly and damselfly species can be regularly seen in the Flow Country. The bog’s pools are excellent habitat for their larvae. Dragonfly larvae can grow several centimetres long and are voracious predators of other invertebrates, and even small vertebrates like tadpoles!

Dùthaich nam boglaichean

Freshwater Pearl Mussel

One of the Flow Country’s rarest animals is the freshwater pearl mussel. It was once the most abundant bivalve across all of the world’s rivers, but due to a range of human activities it is now an endangered species.

Did you know?

Freshwater pearl mussels have a fascinating life-cycle. Their larvae spend their first year living on the gills of salmonid fish.

Did you know?

The freshwater pearl mussel is one of the world’s longest living invertebrates. The oldest recorded specimen was 134 years old!

Did you know?

Half of all recruiting freshwater pearl mussel populations are found in Scotland, mainly in the Highlands. Places like the Flow Country are vital for the survival of this species.