Text Box: Text Box: NEWS PAGE Text Box: Feature Text Box: ORCHIDS OF THE COTSWOLD FRINGES Text Box: NEW ORCHID FOUND IN THE COUNTY! A variety of Bee Orchid new to Warwickshire, has been discovered just a few miles from Stratford upon Avon. I photographed Ophrys apifera var belgarum in the summer of 2006 and sent the pictures off for formal identification, it is now the first county record for this variety of Bee Orchid. The pictures above are, right, Ophrys apifera var belgarum, centre Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera and left, Wasp Orchid Ophrys apifera var trollii. Text Box: PYRAMIDAL ORCHID (Orchis pyramidalis) The Pyramidal Orchid is one of the summer flowering orchids blooming in July It can be found growing on calcareous and neutral soils in open and sunny sites. Where conditions are favourable, they can be found in quite large numbers. Text Box: BUTTERFLY ORCHID (Platanthera chlorantha) The Butterfly Orchid prefers damp woodland and is often found growing along the edges of woodland rides. It usually blooms from May to July. There is also a Lesser Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera bifolia) which looks very similar. With perfume that is stronger in the evening it is probably more adapted to attracting moths than butterflies. Text Box: COMMON SPOTTED ORCHID (Dactylorhiza fuchsia) The Common spotted Orchid is quite variable in colour, it can also naturally hybridize with some of the other Dactylorhiza orchids. It grows in woodland, marshes and meadows etc on basic soil. It flowers from June to August and can be locally abundant. I have counted over 900 flowering spikes on one site! Text Box: GREEN-WINGED ORCHID (Orchis morio) The Green-winged Orchid prefer damp calcareous Meadows, this too is variable in colour from purple through pink, to completely white. When you find a white form it is easy to see where it gets the name Green-winged. (The hood has dark green veins.) Where conditions are suitable it can become locally abundant, blooming late April to early June. Text Box: EARLY PURPLE ORCHID (Orchis mascula) As the name suggests, the Early Purple Orchid is one of the earliest flowering orchids. I find it mostly in woodland and often dotted around hiding amongst the Bluebells . The picture is of a pink form, it can be deeper in colour than its close relative above. It flowers around April-May time. Although this is a very pretty flower it has a strong odour similar to that of Cat urine! Text Box: SOUTHERN MARSH ORCHID (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) An Orchid that grows on wet meadows, marshes and water margins flowering from mid June to July. Marsh Orchids can naturaly hybridize with other Dactylorhiza species which can cause problems with identification. Where conditions are favourable it can colonise in to quite large numbers. Text Box: BROAD-LEAVED HELLEBORINE (Epipactis helleborine) Broad-leaved Helleborines are truly woodland plants and are quite late flowering. The books say from July to September, although I have found them still blooming in early November. The plants I see locally are often tiny and fragile but after the cool wet season of 2007, these plants became large and robust with up to 4 flower spikes each! Text Box: TWAYBLADE (Listera ovate) The Twayblade is an unusual green flowered member of the Orchid family. It grows in damp woodland and shaded unspoilt pastures. (There is also a Lesser Twayblade.) The Twayblade usually blooms from June to July. Text Box: New Pond Video

New pond video clip Below