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| Image Steve Halton |
However this year does seem to be an exceptional one. June sees May blossom yet to reach its peak while the first Dewberry is in flower and Cow Parsley is still out.
Steve Halton`s spectral Butterfly orchid drawn especially for our orchid survey should inspire us to get out now and look for this rare and declining plant.
Chris`s atlas records Greater Butterfly Orchid to the north-west of the county as the remaining stronghold, with possibilities at Potton Wood and in the centre of the county . The even scarcer Lesser Butterfly Orchid was last seen in Potton Wood in around 1980, but may well be lurking awaiting discovery by some intrepid surveyor!
Many of our commoner orchids are now coming into flower and I await a flood of Common Spotted and Twayblade records in the next week!.
Bee Orchid, Pyramid and Fragrant will be out by the end of the week..if we get some sun at last . There is still time for someone to find Bird`s-nest Orchid..an elusive phantom of some of the darkest parts of our woods.
Records have continued to come in every day and a big thank you to everyone who has so far contributed..we hope you are enjoying the survey.
It does appear that this year is a bumper one for White Helleborine with probably over two thousand shoots visible in Tingley Field Plantation close to Pegsdon that are viewable from the permissive footpath to the Icknield Way.
Burnt Tip Orchid has had a good year so far with over sixty plants in flower. Some plants will have protection from rabbits this year in an attempt to get some seed produced..they have failed to do so in recent years.
Let`s see what the next two weeks bring..this should be the most exciting time to record your local orchids. Good luck everyone.
