A fen is a bog-like wetland. Like bogs, fens formed when glaciers retreated. Grasses and sedges are common plants in fens, and fens often look like meadows. They are like bogs because they have peat deposits in them, but unlike bogs, some of their water comes from small streams and groundwater. The main difference between a fen and a bog is that fens have greater water exchange and are less acidic, so their soil and water are richer in nutrients.
Fens are often found near bogs and over time most fens become bogs.
Fens are often found near bogs and over time most fens become bogs. Insects like mosquitoes and horseflies are common in fens as are amphibians, insect-eating birds, and insect-eating mammals like shrews, voles, and muskrats.
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