A pleasant surprise this morning when David, our survey volunteer, told me he’d found a pyramidal orchid on the meadow yesterday. I went to look for it and sure enough there it was:
Pyramidal orchids used to be associated with limestone habitats but have taken advantage of man made environments in recent years. Their scent is described as “foxy”, but I didn’t try that as I felt hayfever beginning to erupt. They are pollinated by the day flying burnet moths, the caterpillars of which feed on birds-foot trefoil. Another example of natures complex web of interactions.
But not as complex as my hayfever cure which consisted of margarine on digestive biscuits ................ mmmmm.