bee orchid

Several Bee Orchids had been found in the last week around the South of England, but so far it had eluded me. My two best sites for them had recently been mowed, destroying the orchids before they could flower. We were out near the Kent coast today and I was busy admiring emerging Pyramidal...

The picture shows the best Bee Orchids I have ever seen. These were growing by a lake at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent. Absolutely fantastic and a big surprise. This Spring, I revisited and sure enough there wereBee Orchid rosettes coming up very close by. So I go back today to see how they...

Went out looking for butterflies and birds, never expected to see one of these! Very pretty.

A sign of things to come. Found at the site of a spectacular bee orchid that showed last year at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent. Only the one rosette spotted where there were several plants last year. Ever rising water levels in the lakes there have submerged several grassy areas, no doubt...

I was shown these flowers by a lady who saw my camera kit. I've been asked not to divulge the location so that the flowers won't be disturbed.

Bee Orchid (North Norfolk)

One of several Bee Orchids found growing on a sloping chalk valley ridge at Hapton common (south Norfolk)

These were two spikes of over 200 in one small area.

Another shot of the flower, this time a little closer.

The only flower open at the moment.

In this photo one can see the bee shape inside the flower head.

In the Hodbarrow nature reserve there is an abundance of these lovely plants.People visit the reserve especially to view them.

One of Britians rarer orchid, or at least that is what I'm told ... and very nice it was see it.

Bee Orchids, first showed up in my lawn last year. 2 flowering spikes have shown up this year, and this is the 1st flower to emerge this year. This close up image was captured using the macro facility of the CP4500, and the ability of the Benbo tripod to get the the camera stable to almost...