Typical fauna of the Benninger fen
Because of the deficiency of nutrients and the low temperature of spring waters emerging in high quantity, one can expect only a relatively small number of species and individuals of animals in the Benninger fen. Nevertheless the fen is an important habitat also for highly endangered species. Especially typical species of the core region are e.g.: the Southern damselfly , a small dragonfly, considered to be "highly endangered" in Bavaria and figuring therefor in the Red List, as well as the Keeled Skimmer, a "highly endangered" species of large dragonflies. Both species are caracteristic inhabitants of the area around springs and swamps.
Southern Damselfly
Keeled Skimmer
A typical species of butterflies of the fen's extensified meadows is the Bog Fritillary. This relict from the ice age can be found beyond the Alps above all in especially cold-resistent regions like e.g. the Benninger fen. Another typical species of swamp-meadow-areas is the Common Ringlet which can also be found in the vicinity of calcareous lowmoors.
Bog Fritillary / Randring-Perlmutterfalter
Common Ringlet / Moor-Wiesenvögelchen
Especially worth mentioning is one of the grasshopper species of the project area, i.e. the Sumpfschrecke, as it is one of the most beautiful indigenous species of grasshoppers. It lives preferably in wet and litter meadows with ditches and drainages plenty of water.
