A rather smart looking Slow-worm in the garden today

Mendip today
A bit of a struggle but eventually found a dozen rather small specimens of Autumn Lady's Tresses

Epipactis x schulzei
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

@ukorchids.bsky.social So is this a second site in Wales for them?

Most of the local Broad-leaved Helleborines have failed this year, apart from one site on Mendip where, for some reason, numbers are better than normal.
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Those look normal enough for Violet.

Plants photographed there in at least 2019 were thought by some to be hybrids, certainly rather unusual flowers for Violets.

Not on Blackberry Lane by any chance?

Southern Marsh orchid from a site on Mendip that always produces a couple of plants with pink unmarked lips.
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Checked on progress at a local Epipactis site today - first two are both E. x schulzei while the third is Violet helleborine.
Could only find one Violet showing, which is a bit worrying, hopefully more will emerge shortly.
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Dactylorhizas at a Mendip site where plants are hard to identify
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Heath Spotted orchids on Mendip today
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Some attraactive Common Spotted orchids from Mendip today
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Lesser Butterfly orchids in good numbers but just past their best
Mendip, 20/6/25
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Anyone able to tell me what the insect on this orchid is, some kind of spider?
Mendip 20/6/25

A few nice white Pyramidal orchids on the outskirts of Bristol today
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Looks to be a good year for Green-flowered Helleborine locally, I counted 45 this morning.
Hopefully a number will flower this year.
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

An oddly mutated Chalk Fragrant where the flower structure changes as you move up the spike.
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Also comes in white

Chalk Fragrants coming along nicely
North Somerset
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Some of the local Marsh helleborines now nearly in full flower.
North Somerset 18/6/25
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Nice var ochroleuca

This rather attractive pale Common Spotted orchid caught my eye this morning
@ukorchids.bsky.social

Probably Heath Spotted but from a colony of mixed Dacts

Common Spotted with yellow pollinia

particularly well pigmented Southern Marsh

Some attractive local orchids that caught my eye today
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Seems to be a thing with Dacts, this clump of about a dozen on Mendip has been around for a few years, and just coming into flower at the end of last week.

A Southern Marsh orchid with red flower lips
@ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

You need to look at such plants in context, what other species are present, did it look exceptional compared to the other plants or were there a few/many similar plants.
Identifying lone Dacts is a nightmare, context is all important, and some are best left unidentified.

Are these grandis or junialis?

Spring Sandwort

The tiny Moonwort

Hairy Rockcress

Chalk Fragrant orchid

Mendip plants
2/6/25
@bsbibotany.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Slow-worm in the garden today
@argroupsuk.bsky.social