Due to the lack of nutrients within the peaty soils, it is not unusual to find insectivorous plants in a bog setting. These plants augment their food supply with highly nutritious insects trapped on, or within, their structures. Sundew is a diminutive plant with tiny droplets of sticky nectar on its leaf surfaces. When attracted to the nectar, hapless insects become stuck and are then absorbed by the plant. This plant is so rare that it occurs in only a few sites in the world, many of which are within the mountains of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Bogs also support an interesting mix of animals, including the rare bog turtle.
Fortunately, efforts are now under way to protect many of these valuable mountain wetlands and to restore some that have been partially altered. McClure's Bog, located in Henderson County and owned by The Nature Conservancy, is currently undergoing restoration. It is hoped that as more people become aware of mountain bogs and of their ecological importance, these protective efforts can increase. They plan to open a larger retail store near the Asheville area, but for now, they have dived into the world of the 'net. They are a very nice young couple.