This morning when I visited the Discovery Centre there had been reports of typical Bee Orchids around the reserve but none as yet of the Brown Bee Orchid. I am pleased to report that I did found our Brown Bee Orchid on my wildflower wander. The photos below were taken this afternoon. There are currently two flowers with more to come. I will be coming back next week to check on its flowers. So far I have only found one plant but there could be more. In the past two or three have been recorded. Contact the Discovery Centre for further information and for the location on the reserve.
Below are photos of other Bee Orchids on the reserve. The photo on the left does not qualify as a Brown Bee but some of the yellow makings are missing. The photo on the right is the typical Bee Orchid. All together I found 9 Bee Orchids around the reserve.
Other sightings today include 29 Southern Marsh Orchids with two near the viewing shelter. In the hedgerows there is now Hedge Woundwort which can be mistaken for an orchid but is in fact a member of the Lamiaceae, the Dead-Nettle family.
Butterflies seen today include Holly Blue, which stayed long enough for me to take the photo below, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood butterflies. A Scarlet Tiger Moth was also seen but did not want to settle for a photo shoot.