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Tag Archives: Ophrys apifera)

152/366 Pyramids and bees

31 Sunday May 2020

Posted by sconzani in nature, wildflowers

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Anacamptis pyramidalis, Bee orchid, British orchids, Grangemoor Park, native orchids, Ophrys apifera), Pyramidal orchid

You might be wondering what pyramids and bees have in common. Well, in this case, they’re both orchids: the Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) and the Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera), and I was very pleasantly surprised to see rather a lot of them, especially the Bees, during my most recent walk around Grangemoor Park.

200531 pyramidal orchid (1)

With their classic triangular shape, Pyramidal orchids are easy to identify. They usually flower during June and July, and each flower spike can contain up to a hundred individual flowers. Interesting fact: the Pyramidal orchid is the county flower of the Isle of Wight.

200531 pyramidal orchid (2)200531 bee orchid (2)

Bee orchids are my favourite orchids. Their markings and furry texture may be intended to attract bumblebees (and the flowers also produce a female bee smell, apparently) but it’s their laughing ‘faces’ that enchant me and always make me smile. And the people of Bedfordshire made the perfect choice when they selected the Bee orchid as their county flower.

200531 bee orchid (1)

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Orchid overdose!

09 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by sconzani in flowers, nature, wildflowers

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Anacamptis pyramidalis, Bee orchid, British flora, British orchids, Common spotted orchid, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Greater butterfly-orchid, native orchids, Ophrys apifera), orchid, Platanthera chlorantha, Pyramidal orchid

170609 Orchids Cosmeston

The meadows at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park are awash with orchids, Common spotted-orchids, (Dactylorhiza fuchsii), Bee orchids (Ophrys apifera), Pyramidal orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis) and, in a secluded location off the beaten track, a tiny smattering of Greater butterfly-orchids (Platanthera chlorantha). To walk along the paths amongst these beauties is simply magical!

170609 Bee orchid Cosmeston (3)
170609 Greater butterfly-orchid Cosmeston (2)
170609 Pyramidal orchids Cosmeston (1)
170609 Common spotted-orchid Cosmeston (3)
170609 Common spotted-orchid Cosmeston (1)
170609 Pyramidal orchids Cosmeston (3)
170609 Bee orchid Cosmeston (2)
170609 Pyramidal orchids Cosmeston (2)
170609 Bee orchid Cosmeston (1)
170609 Greater butterfly-orchid Cosmeston (3)
170609 Greater butterfly-orchid Cosmeston (1)
170609 Common spotted-orchid Cosmeston (2)

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The bees that don’t buzz

02 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by sconzani in flowers, nature, wildflowers

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Bee orchid, British orchids, British wildflowers, native orchids, Ophrys apifera), orchid

Finding my very first Bee orchids (Ophrys apifera) in a local park this week made my day! I know they’re designed to entice male bees to attempt mating with their flowers in order to facilitate pollination but to me they actually look like jolly smiling and laughing mouths.

170602 Bee orchid Ophrys apifera (1)
170602 Bee orchid Ophrys apifera (2)

I had to find out more, and I have to say that, when it comes to wild plants, I love the Plantlife website – as well as giving you the straight facts and figures about British plants, they also include the most interesting fact-lets, like these:

*  The aim of the mimicry is to attract passing male bees in the hope they will try to mate and thus aid pollination. In Britain, however, Bee orchids self-pollinate so the deception is not really required.
*  This wild flower was once called the “Humble Bee” orchid (Humble being a variation of Bumble).
*  According to Roman natural historian Pliny the Elder it was used by womenfolk to darken their eyebrows.
*  The Bee orchid is the County Flower of Bedfordshire.
*  In the Language of Flowers it stands for error and industry.

170602 Bee orchid Ophrys apifera (3)
170602 Bee orchid Ophrys apifera (4)

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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