The greater butterly orchids are out in the meadows of Coombes and today our lovely volunteer Becca is here to tell you why you shouldn't miss out. They're only fleeting, so find a spare hour to pop down and see us!
Greater butterfly orchid, taken by Becca Bratt
I'm just starting week two of a three week work placement here at Coombes Valley. Luckily enough it is at a time when the reserve is full of new life, busy sounds and vibrant colour. I already feel that I have a greater understanding of how much hard work goes into managing a reserve, not only for the benefit of wildlife but in order for people to enjoy it too.
One of my first tasks last week was to count the greater butterfly orchids in the meadow near the visitor centre. I met a couple admiring the variety of flowers down there and they suggested perhaps this task was a practical joke to keep the newbie occupied! However, it was a genuine request and an important one; by comparing orchid numbers from previous years their success can be monitored.
Greater butterfly orchid and common spotted orchid, taken by Becca Bratt
Declining numbers make greater butterfly orchids a target species at Coombes. They are only able to grow successfully in ‘unimproved’ hay meadows – fields which have escaped intensive practices, such as fertiliser and pesticide use, and high stocking densities of cattle or sheep which may cause overgrazing or trampling of vegetation. The flower meadows at Coombes are carefully managed to encourage a range of what were once widespread flowers and grasses.
View over Coombes Meadow
To be able to increase their numbers effectively, orchids have evolved sneaky tactics to get insects to spread their pollen. They often mimick the scents of female insects to attract the pollinating males and copy the appearance of pollinators with their petals.
In the case of the greater butterfly orchid, the insects that are responsible for their pollination are night flying moths. The common spotted orchid is less fussy about what creatures spread its pollen - hoverflies, bumblebees and the Dascillus cervinis beetle are all welcome.
Coommon spotted orchid, taken by Becca Bratt
It took me a little longer than I thought to complete my count, as the orchids seem to be doing very well in the meadows at Coombes this year! If my numbers are correct, a total of 239 greater butterfly orchids wait to be admired, with plenty more yet to burst into flower. The common spotted orchid is also putting on a great show, with beautiful pink blooms visible in even greater numbers than the greater butterfly orchid. A sight definitely not to be missed in the June sunshine, so get down to Coombes in the next week because you really don't want to miss out.
If you’d like to find out more about orchids and other plants and wildflowers, join us for our Plants Tell Stories guided walk on Sunday 29th June http://www.rspb.org.uk/events/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-370397