This island is owned by the National Trust. It boasts one of the richest grasslands in this part of Down. Before 2016 there were 66 botanical records, and more recently I have recorded 35 plant species here. The rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly was recorded here in 1985, and its foodplant Succisa pratensis is abundant in a small area of the Northern drumlin.
The island is grazed by cattle. Ticks are present.
Notable species
Insects
Euphydryas aurinia
(recorded once in 1985, likely vagrant)
Polyommatus icarus
Zygaena lonicerae
Zygaena filipendulae
Grassland and Heath Plants
Succisa pratensis
Erica cinerea
(locally rare)
Centaurium erythraea
Teucrium scorodonia
Veronica officinalis
Polygala serpyllifolia
Galium saxatile
Conopodium majus
Galium verum
Linum catharticum
Odontites vernus
Achillea ptarmica
Dactylorhiza fuchsii
Hypericum humifusum
Lathyrus linifolius
Woodland Plants
Oxalis acetosella
Pond Plants
Ranunculus sceleratus
Gallery
September 2021 The view of the northern drumlin from the western bay (looking North), with a dense area of Succisa and some heath.
September 2021 A dense patch of flowering Succisa.
June 2021 A Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) on Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis). These butterflies are common on the island in summer.
September 2021 Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum), a delicate annual or biennial of species-rich grasslands.
Bibliography
Rippey, Ian. Butterflies (Lepidoptera) in Northern Ireland 1986-1987: Additional Records and Corrigenda. The Irish Naturalists' Journal, vol. 23, no. 1, Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd., 1989, pp. 27–30, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25539337.
"Euphydryas aurinia (Rott.) marsh fritillary: during 1985-87, some interesting new colonies were discovered... one at Darragh Island, Strangford Lough, Co Down (P. Casement pers. comm.)" - this seems to imply a single adult sighting but it is unclear.
