Plants

Devil's-bit

Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)

Devil's-bit Scabious is a typical plant of fens. It is so called because its roots stop abruptly as if they have been bitten off, apparently out of spite by the devil! The oval, downy leaves are often blotched purplish and the tall stalked flower heads are dark blue-purple appearing in July and August. The flowers are visited for their nectar by a range of bees and butterflies including the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly. This butterfly has undergone a rapid decline in distribution and numbers and has been identified as a species that requires urgent conservation measures. Although Devil's-bit Scabious has shown some decline, it remains common and widespread throughout Northern Ireland.

Click here to view a distribution map of the Devil's-bit Scabious in Northern Ireland.