I waited 50 years for this butterfly 🙏🙏👌Brilliant!!

19.07.2025 21:18 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

On July 5th found I was too late for Thistle Broomrape in Yorkshire
I will see this species (Maybe next year )For the moment perhaps you can feel my sense of disappointment

13.07.2025 16:07 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Recently spent a week in Scotland Great Trip with many high points Perhaps Mountain Ringlet edged into number one spot

13.07.2025 16:01 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Went to see Red Helleborine with my good friend Carl Chapman He managed the Orchid and it’s pollinator June 20th

13.07.2025 15:56 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Loved this Pyramidal

13.07.2025 15:51 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Dactylodenia heinzeliana
Three eg June 20th
(Chalk Fragrant x Common Spotted)

13.07.2025 15:50 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Here's a rare one we saw today, hybrid between Heath spotted & Frog orchid, not commonly found I'm told & rather a pretty plant. @ukorchids.bsky.social On our way home tomorrow, leaving the wind & rain behind!

08.07.2025 17:00 — 👍 44    🔁 2    💬 2    📌 2

If you take the leaf and flower markings from Heath Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata) and the slender elegance and sweet-clove scent of Heath Fragrant (Gymnadenia borealis) - this is the result! You will have to take my word for it that the scent was wonderful. The hybrid is infertile, which means the plant has reproduced vegetatively by division. This hybrid is more common in the north of the UK, where there are larger populations of Heath Frgarant. In the New Forest, Heath Fragrant is a scarce and localised orchid species, with a handful of populations numbering around 50 plants, give or take.

This plant is only about 50cm from the other - but has differernt markings and flower shape. This indicates either a second hybridisation event - or that both plants came from a single event but with different genetics. What I can say is that this plant has persisted for 5 seasons. The flower bud to the right is Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), which indicates how damp the ground is where these special little beuaties grow.

Some 'proper' camera shots of x Dactylodenia evansii. Taken in the New Forest, Hampshire 20.06.25. Please see the ALT text for more details on this fascinating and scarce hybrid orchid @bsbibotany.bsky.social

20.06.2025 19:22 — 👍 42    🔁 3    💬 3    📌 0

Syrian Thistle New for Norfolk (unfortunately not self found) Suki Pryce in the pic is about 5ft 4 giving an indication of Scale. Six plants close to Wells Norfolk

17.06.2025 21:19 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

I was surprised to find a number of Marsh Helleborine in flower recently. The Swollen Thigh Bettle appears to have pollinia attached to its head

17.06.2025 21:09 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

White form of Southern Marsh Norfolk

17.06.2025 21:04 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Anthocyanin deficient Birdsnest Orchid

04.06.2025 07:46 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

The first few S M Orchids starting to show close to home ssp schoenophila

15.05.2025 18:04 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Cymbalaria sp North Norfolk

12.05.2025 18:45 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0