2011 UK Orchid season updates (4 Viewers)

[leptochila]

Hi all! This year has got off to a very sudden start with a number of species seeming to burst out the ground during the hot weather. Anyway...

Narrow-leaved helleborines now in flower at the largest Welsh population along the Dyfi Estuary (very early!), along with one albino (I think). Still many more plants yet to flower however.
Also plenty of Early purples in woods and copses between New Quay and Aberaeron (West Wales).

Mike.

 

[ladybee]

Hi Mike - It does seem an early start. As you know I'm not an expert but I am thinking it might be a bad year for certain Orchids if we don't get some decent prolonged rain, or is it too late already for some of them?
Hope you are enjoing Uni. Good Hunting!

Ladybee

 

[heakl]

Hi all! This year has got off to a very sudden start with a number of species seeming to burst out the ground during the hot weather. Anyway...

Narrow-leaved helleborines now in flower at the largest Welsh population along the Dyfi Estuary (very early!), along with one albino (I think). Still many more plants yet to flower however.
Also plenty of Early purples in woods and copses between New Quay and Aberaeron (West Wales).

Mike.

Hello Mike,
I'm a bit unsure about "albino" Narrow-leaved helleborines, how do they differ from the norm?

Regards
Alan

 

[heakl]

Gloucestershire update. Green-winged now showing at several sites, the first Bird's-nest seen in flower yesterday.

Alan

 

[simonm001]

Dorset Early Spiders

I found my way down to the Dorset coast yesterday after Heakl's posting .
Ophrys sphegodes shows alot of variation between flowers but I didn't find any that were green other than 'going-over' plants , of which there were many. The ground was like concrete and everything is parched , in serious need of some rain.
Also nine species of butterfly seen.
Simon

 

[fearnor]

I am planning to go and see this helleborine for the first time at the well known site in Hampshire with some people who have never seen it before either. As most things are early this year could someone post when these are out so I do not mis-time the trip from Bucks.

Most are still green 9”-12” high, a few are in bud and 1 or 2 have the first flowers out. I mark 3 fly orchid rosettes a few months ago, only one survived the slugs / deer and has its first flower

Regards

Nick

 

[ladybee]

Birds Nest Orchid up but in bud still. A first for me |:d|

 

[leptochila]

Hi Mike - It does seem an early start. As you know I'm not an expert but I am thinking it might be a bad year for certain Orchids if we don't get some decent prolonged rain, or is it too late already for some of them?
Hope you are enjoing Uni. Good Hunting!

Ladybee

Hi Ladybee!

I agree. So far this year isn't looking great, certainly not good for flowering if we keep having these long periods of hot dry weather - really in need of some april showers! Although this does affect certain species in different ways. Definitely not a good start for all the ghost hunters out there either...

Anyway, I can't complain with all the good finds I've had so far But uni is going great thanks! Just getting to grips with the suprisingly quite varied local orchid flora around Aber.
Hope you have a good year and keep updating!

Mike.

 

[leptochila]

Hello Mike,
I'm a bit unsure about "albino" Narrow-leaved helleborines, how do they differ from the norm?

Regards
Alan

Hi Alan,

I've not heard of albino longifolias before, hence my tentative suggestion since I can't find any reference to it's existance on either the internet nor in my books. However, the plant I saw lacked the orange 'pseudopollen' area (orange basal ridges along epichile) on the labellum meaning the whole flowers where completely white and this was the case for the entire plant, (of which a number of flowers where wide open). Would be interesting to see whether this is common occurance in populations.

Mike.

 

[mikecampbell]

Most are still green 9”-12” high, a few are in bud and 1 or 2 have the first flowers out. I mark 3 fly orchid rosettes a few months ago, only one survived the slugs / deer and has its first flower

Regards

Nick

Thanks Nick,

Looks like mid May will be a good time for the trip then.

Mike.

 

[rmielcarek]

Strange how things go. Currently over 1000 A morio spikes at my local North Lincs site. The 2 alba have not yet appeared, however they are always among the later ones.

Mark

An alba Green-winged in flower today, looking quite fresh compared to many of the darker plants. In the same field the first Heath Spotted just starting to flower.

Rich M

 

[rmielcarek]

Also plenty of Early purples in woods and copses between New Quay and Aberaeron (West Wales).

Mike.

Plenty of Early Purples out on the Mendips today, including a couple of albas (with another still in bud). Stunning plants.

Rich M

 

[simonm001]

More Early purples

Went up onto the scarp in the southern Cotswolds today and was surprised by the number of early purples out in a bluebell wood there. A few pink-toned ones too.
Simon

 

[davidearlgray]

Checked out a site in NW Leicestershire this evening and found good numbers of Early Purple Orchids in flower and the major surprise of the day, a single Bird nest Orchid coming into flower!!
I think this is the first time in twenty years that this plant has been recorded in Vc 55!
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Ringouzel]

Are Sword-leaf Helliborines out yet in the Hampshire site

Regards Ringouzel

 

[ladybee]

This is a question for the orchid experts - I have read that the Monkey Orchids are dying off before they have had a chance to flower, and other species are suffering with the dry weather (like some did last year). Does this mean that the whole plant has died or will they be able to flower next year if they get the right conditions?

 

[Matthebirder]

'Huntingdonshire', Monks Wood : Early Purples starting to go over now in very dry conditions.
Matthew

 

[heakl]

Hi Alan,

I've not heard of albino longifolias before, hence my tentative suggestion since I can't find any reference to it's existance on either the internet nor in my books. However, the plant I saw lacked the orange 'pseudopollen' area (orange basal ridges along epichile) on the labellum meaning the whole flowers where completely white and this was the case for the entire plant, (of which a number of flowers where wide open). Would be interesting to see whether this is common occurance in populations.

Mike.

Thanks Mike,
Very interesting!

Alan

 

[rmielcarek]

The drought doesn't seem to be inhibiting some species.

On my local patch there is a small meadow with a few Southern Marsh orchids - these have been slowly increasing and last year I had a record count of 35 plants.

On Friday I counted 44 coming into flower and today this had increased to 58.

Rich M

 

[ladybee]

Bird's Nest Orchids, some still coming up but all still in tight bud.