Bee Orchids

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

Am I right in thinking that the Bee Orchid is known for sporadic appearance over a number of years? I have found it in quite a large area 4 years out of five, but never in exactly the same place. Can't find it this year, but a part of the same area has a growing population of Pyramidal orchids, over 30 this year.

And I always swore I would not get into orchids, your mind keeps clicking up sites, and you just have to go and look.

Because many Bee Orchids die after flowering, (possibly dependant of a particular population), they can be very sporadic, suddenly appaering and dissapearing just as quickly. Though many sites have reliable number every year.

For many years I thought of our orchids as just part of the general flora, but eventually they got me too! I wasn't dissapointed.
Dorts.

[jeffnsue]

Found Bee Orchids in the limestone hills south of Oswestry this weekend but far fewer than previous years. Of the three sites where we expected to find them we found them at only one around 8 plants.

Don't know whether it's my imagination but the flower spikes seemed to be carrying less flowers.

This one is indulging in a bit of self-pollination.

Jeff

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Dorts

Because many Bee Orchids die after flowering, (possibly dependant of a particular population), they can be very sporadic, suddenly appaering and dissapearing just as quickly. Though many sites have reliable number every year.

For many years I thought of our orchids as just part of the general flora, but eventually they got me too! I wasn't dissapointed.
Dorts.

Thanks for that answer and explanation. Still fighting the tractor beam of Orhids, only got two books concerning them, I must say as someone who does not work, why am I worried about wasting time? Perhaps, if I can get there on foot or on the bike, or if going somewhere close...

[leifus]

haven't seen any yet this year, which is frustrating!

I'm off to the Purbeck coast next monday on a field trip so shall keep my eyes peeled...

[lizard orchid]

Bee orchids at one Warwickshire site yesterday evening are now forming seed capsules and are well gone over.

Brian Laney, Northamptonshire.

[lizard orchid]

And talking of bee orchids in Warwickshire I was sent a piece from the Stratford Herold which was full of mistakes and misinformed information about the bicolor bee orchid site.
A number of people have written to the paper and the person who was interviewed. A number of us who have done voluntary habitat management for the past ten years on the site were not informed this article was going ahead but a number of us have put the record straight.
I wish newspapers would ask us all and not just one persons views.

Brian Laney, Northamptonshire.

[lizard orchid]

The article is called "Renewed call for action to protect bee orchids" from around June 23/24th from the Stratford Herald that is totally full of misinformed information and mistakes. As some of you might be able to tell I have not been happy with this considering I have for the past ten years or so been doing my hardest with help from fellow botanists and naturalists, some of which have travelled miles to help with habitat management at the site. And the management IS WORKING!! Three bicolor bee orchids flowered this year who orchid twitchers coming again from all over the UK to see them as well as a whole host of other orchid and plant species.
Sorry folks I will calm down in a min!
Thanks to good friend Phill Clayton who tipped me about the article.

Brian Laney, Northamptonshire.

[Mele]

Brian. Passion is good. Accuracy vital! Botany does that to one. Just had a look at photo of a bicoloured and it is much calmer than a norm bee.

Anne Marie Gemmell, from Chapelcross’ environment team, said: “It is extremely exciting to have these special flowers on the site. It’s a testament to Magnox’s approach to the environment that we have found such a rare orchid growing here.”

Post hoc ergo propter hoc, unless they were actively managing the site for these orchids before they appeared.