Every Rewilded Bog Needs a Pollinator Patch
Ireland's peatlands cover 20% of the country. As bogs are rewilded and restored, they present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild habitat for wild bees and butterflies — and benefit farmers for miles around.
The Problem & The Opportunity
The Crisis
- 30% of Ireland's 98 wild bee species are threatened with extinction
- Bumblebee populations have declined 14.2% in 5 years
- The Marsh Fritillary butterfly — Europe's most legally protected — depends on devil's-bit scabious, a bog plant
- Ireland has lost 80% of its raised bogs and 70% of blanket bog
- 90% of Ireland's habitats are in poor condition
The Opportunity
- Bord na Móna is restoring 33,000 hectares across 80+ bogs (€108M programme)
- The EU Nature Restoration Law requires 30% of drained peatlands restored by 2030
- NPWS budget has grown from €28.7M to €100M
- ACRES pays farmers up to €10,500/year for biodiversity actions
- Every rewilded bog is bare ground waiting for the right seed
The insight: Rewilded bogs don't automatically become pollinator habitat. They need the right native wildflowers — species adapted to acidic, wet peat — sown deliberately. A pollinator patch on every restored bog creates a network of habitat corridors across Ireland. Bees and butterflies get established. Nearby farms benefit from improved pollination. Everyone wins.
Why Farmers Benefit
Pollinator habitat on marginal bogland isn't just conservation — it's agricultural infrastructure.
Wild bee visits improve fruit set twice as much as equivalent honeybee visits
Science, 2013 — 90 studies, 5 continents
Farmer profits increased in apple orchards with better pollinator access
15% higher fruit set → 70% higher profit
Wildflower plantings reach full pollinator support in 3–4 years, then sustain permanently
Journal of Applied Ecology
Maximum annual ACRES payment for farmers taking biodiversity actions
ACRES Co-operation scheme
9 Native Species — Full Season Cover
Every species in our Bogland Pollinator Support Mix is native to Ireland, adapted to acidic wet peat, and selected for maximum value to wild bees and butterflies. Together they provide continuous bloom from March through October.
Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)
First to bloom (March–April). Bright golden flowers provide critical early nectar for queen bumblebees emerging from hibernation. True bog specialist — thrives in waterlogged ground.
Supports: bumblebees (early queens), hoverflies
Ragged Robin (Silene flos-cuculi)
Distinctive pink, ragged petals. Favours boggy soil. Blooms May–June, bridging the gap between early and midsummer flowers. Attracts long-tongued bumblebees and butterflies.
Supports: bumblebees, butterflies, day-moths
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Tall spikes of vivid purple flowers from June–August. Thrives on wet bog margins and ditches. Highly attractive to both bees and butterflies. A visual showpiece that draws pollinators from distance.
Supports: bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
Creamy, fragrant flower heads from June–September. Native to every Irish county. Thrives in damp ground and bog margins. The scent alone identifies it — sweet, honey-like, unmistakable.
Supports: hoverflies, beetles, bees
Marsh Thistle (Cirsium palustre)
Tall, spiny, with purple flower heads that bumblebees love. Produces abundant nectar from June–September. A true bog plant, common on wet ground across Ireland. Don't be put off by the thorns — the bees aren't.
Supports: bumblebees (primary), butterflies, hoverflies
Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Supports an extraordinary 132 insect species. Bright yellow flowers, June–September. Larval food plant for the Common Blue butterfly. Nitrogen-fixing — enriches poor bog soil. Grows on drier bog margins.
Supports: 132 species incl. Common Blue butterfly, bees
Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix)
The true bog specialist. Pink bell-shaped flowers, June–September. Thrives in waterlogged, acid, peaty habitats. Pollen contains all 10 essential amino acids for bee development. The backbone species of bog pollinator habitat.
Supports: bumblebees, honeybees, solitary bees
Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
The iconic purple heather of Irish bogs. Blooms August–September when many other flowers have finished. Recorded hosting 49 insect species. Late-season nectar is critical for bees building winter stores.
Supports: bumblebees, honeybees, solitary bees, butterflies
Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)
The star species. Blooms July–October, providing crucial late-season nectar. But its real importance: it's the sole larval food plant of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly — the most legally protected butterfly in Europe. Where devil's-bit grows on bog, Marsh Fritillaries can breed.
Supports: bumblebees, Marsh Fritillary (EU Habitats Directive), solitary bees
Funding & Grant Support
Multiple Irish and EU funding streams can cover the cost of pollinator seed for bogland restoration:
| Programme | Who | Value | Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACRES Co-operation | Farmers | €10,500/yr | Results-based biodiversity payments — pollinator habitat scores well |
| ACRES General | Farmers (33,000+) | €7,311/yr | Pollinator actions, peatland management, native planting |
| Bord na Móna PCAS | Restoration sites | €108M total | 33,000 hectares — native seed supply is a direct procurement need |
| NPWS Community Scheme | Community groups | €800K+ (2025) | Peatland and Natura 2000 community engagement |
| EU Nature Restoration Law | National obligation | — | 30% of drained peatland restored by 2030 — drives demand for native seed |
| LEADER | Rural communities | Up to €200K | Community-led environmental and biodiversity projects |
The Vision: A Pollinator Network Across Ireland's Bogs
Ireland is about to restore tens of thousands of hectares of peatland. The EU Nature Restoration Law mandates it. Bord na Móna is already doing it. Farmers are being paid through ACRES to do it.
But rewilded bog without pollinator plants is just wet ground. The bees and butterflies need forage — the right flowers, in the right soil, blooming across the full season. That's what this mix provides.
If even 10% of restored bogland included a dedicated pollinator patch, Ireland would gain thousands of hectares of permanent, self-sustaining pollinator habitat — connecting corridors across counties, rebuilding populations of threatened species like the Marsh Fritillary, and improving crop yields on every farm within flight range.
The flowers get established. The bees and butterflies follow. The farmers benefit. The bogs come alive again.
Who Is This For?
Farmers
Wet marginal ground that's costing you money to maintain could be earning ACRES payments and improving pollination on your productive land. Sow once, benefit for years.
Bord na Móna & Restoration Projects
Native seed supply for large-scale bog restoration. We can supply bulk quantities of bog-adapted, Irish-provenance wildflower seed. Contact us for project pricing.
County Councils
Biodiversity officers and community pollinator plans — bogland pollinator patches are a measurable, fundable action for the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.
Community Bog Groups
NPWS community grants can fund pollinator seed for your local bog. We'll help you choose the right mix and quantities for your site. Get in touch.
Get Started
Order our Bogland Pollinator Support Mix for your garden, farm, or restoration project. For bulk orders over 1kg, contact us directly for project pricing.
Data sources: All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, National Biodiversity Data Centre, Bord na Móna PCAS, ACRES scheme (DAFM), EU Nature Restoration Law, Science (2013), Journal of Applied Ecology. All species in this mix are native to Ireland.