Bee orchid
Manipulative plant after only one thing – pollination!
Orchids are definitely one of the most beautiful and glamourous wildflowers in the UK and I myself have driven miles with the desire to see a specific species. But during lockdown and endless walks around local footpaths and lanes in my village, I discovered I had a colony of approximately 200 bee orchids (Ophrys apifera) no more than 5 minutes’ walk away from my house!
Bee orchids are a small, delicate orchid and are often an entry point for generations of botanists as they initially capture the hearts and intrigue of many, leading to years of scrabbling around the country looking at plants. It stands up to 30cm in height, with a rosette of grey-green pointed, elliptical leaves at ground level, which wither as the flowers appear, and two leaves that grow up the stem as a sheath. The hairless green stem displays a number of relatively large flowers, up to ten in a long loose spike, with pink sepals that look like wings, and furry, rich brown lips that have yellow markings on, just like a bee.
The bee orchid gets its name from its main pollinator, which is thought to have driven the evolution of the flowers. The orchid mimics the shape and scent of a female bee in order to lure them into ‘pseudocopulation’, where the male insect attempts to mate with the flower. As they land on the velvet-textured lip of the flower, the pollen is transferred. However, despite the elaborate deception, sadly, the right species of bee doesn’t occur in the UK, so bee orchids are self-pollinated here in the UK, transferring pollen from the male to the female parts of the same plant.
When to see them
June is the premier month for orchid hunting. Many of our circa 50 species flower in quick succession, and if you are lucky enough to know where to look or know someone who has given you a good tip-off, you can spot several species sometimes in the same area!
Look out for the bee orchid’s diminutive flower spikes from June to July, but I have been seeing them in flower as early as mid-May here in Hampshire.
Distribution
This colourful mimic is one of our most widespread orchids, and increasingly the one you are most likely to find closest to home, as I did, found throughout the UK. However, this species is scarcer in the north.
Historically its beautiful blooms were to be searched for in chalk downland, coastal dunes and damp meadows and pastures. But today, it is as likely to be encountered on urban road verges and waste ground, or as a colonist of quarries and gravel pits in the early years of succession to more stable grassland and scrub. Also, with the national uptake on #NoMowMay, many people have even had the pleasure of bee orchids appearing in their lawns!
Threats
Although the species is perhaps not as rare as people may think, the destruction of grassland habitat through development and agricultural can quickly restrict and isolate colonies of species such as bee orchid, as well as being outcompeted by vigorous grasses, scrub and other vegetation – areas left unmanaged can see the demise of colonies of bee orchids quite quickly.
Legal protection
I do worry about sharing locations of interesting or rare wildflowers, for the fear they will be trampled on by avid ‘list tickers’ or uprooted by collectors or a local wanting a pretty flower for the garden. But bee orchids are protected, as are all wildflowers, under Section 13 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). This section prohibits unauthorised and intentional uprooting of any wild plant. In addition, because orchids are particularly slow-growing and may only flower once in their lifetime, it is important to never pick the flowers.
Management
So how can we help this species survive and thrive? Grasslands need to be cut and/or grazed in order to divert natural succession and prevent vigorous grasses and eventually scrub from developing, which will outcompete bee orchids and other wildflowers. In most cases, cut late in July, which will allow the bee orchid and other wildflowers the opportunity to flower and set seed, and graze over winter but remove stock again in spring – so the cycle starts again. After cutting, it is very important to remove arisings, as if left in situ they may smother delicate plants and increase fertility, which encourages rank growth at the expense of wildflowers. Chemicals or fertilisers must not be used.
Did you know?
The bee orchid is the county flower of Bedfordshire.
Bee orchids may only flower once in their lifetime, which explains their appearance in large numbers in some years and disappearance in others. The seeds germinate in the spring and can take as long as six years before they reach a flowering stage.
Happy orchid hunting!
Megan Lock
Advisory
Image credit: Megan Lock