My first Autumn Lady’s-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) of the year. Quite a bit later than last year, these are right by the coast, kept hydrated by moisture from the sea. #orchid
Vinny Blood
@orchidvinny.bsky.social
Biophile based in Bournemouth. Love flora and fauna alike - with a particular interest in orchids.
Some interesting #CommonNames at Kenfig, South Wales this morning. Vipers Bugloss, Fleabane, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Rest Harrow, Eyebright, Autumn Lady’s-tresses. See ALT text for more on the names. #WildflowerHour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
A selection of the variations within Naked Man Orchid (Orchis italica) I saw in Crete in April 2026. As with so many orchid encounters, this exceeded my expectations by some margin!
Sundews & other bog species on Dorset heathland yesterday 2/8/2026. Marsh gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe), all 3 native sundew spp, D.intermedia, D.anglica, D.rotundiflora + the hybrid Drosera x belezeana; & the interloper, the non-native D.binata 😃 @lizlouise.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social
Still some lovely Bog orchids (Hammarbya paludosa) flowering in a Dorset bog yesterday 2/8/2026. @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social @lizlouise.bsky.social
'Come fly with me' A Swallowtail. This species will forever remain as one of my most favourite butterflies, no matter where I go or what else I see.
What an incredible year for Jersey Tiger (Euplagia quadripunctata)! Seems to be an absolute explosion of this diurnal moth in southern England. 4 individuals in 4 days within a few hundred metres of home in Bournemouth. The wing patterns are unique, so I know it's not the same one flitting around 😜
Broad-leaved Helleborines (Epipactis helleborine) looking wonderful in the Dorset sunshine today 4/7/26. #orchid #wildflowers
A final visit to the Abbotts Wood Inclosure at Alice Holt this morning. Three male Purple Emperors searching the Sallows overhead, White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries visiting the rideside Brambles, and Purple Hairstreaks flitting high-up in the Oaks.
Odd-spot Blue (Turanana endymion). A tiny but special butterfly seen today on our Greek butterfly tour. It has an extremely limited distribution in Europe & is classed as Endangered (EN) on the @europebutterfly.bsky.social European Red List... www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?... 📸 Sotiris Alexiou
Common spotted orchids (Dactylorhiza fuschii), Slovenian stylee 😃💜🇸🇮 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social
Bog orchid (Hammarbya paludosa) in the morning dew - New Forest. 15/6/2026 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social
Small-white orchid, Pseudorchis albida, with pollinator moth (and pollinia) & nectaring beetle. Mid Wales. 7/6/2026. @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social @pjvanmaaren.bsky.social @stevieparsons.bsky.social
It's Plantago lanceolata Jim - but not as we know it! A very odd, proliferate mutation. As only one plant affected, I would say genetic rather than a pathogenetic cause. Bournemouth 01.06.26. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social
Early marsh-orchids (Dactylorhiza incarnata subsp. pulchella) and Southern marsh-orchids (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) flowering a year to the day I last visited this undisturbed site in urban Bournemouth 😃 19/5/2026 @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social
Something of a Dactylorhiza day in the New Forest 27.05.26. D.pratermissa, maculata, x hallii and incarnata ssp. pulchella all getting going! @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social @withylake.bsky.social
Pre-tour recce for @greenwingstours.bsky.social Emerald Isle trip. Looking forward to welcoming guests tomorrow 👍 plenty of Early Purple in a beautiful setting, plus a few new friends made 😂
Military #Orchid (Orchis militaris) & hybrids between it and Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) known as Orchis x hybrida. Just 1 of the endless treasures found during our ongoing Sibillini & Abruzzo tour in the Apennines of Italy right now!
Couple of uncommon beauties from the New Forest 17.05.26. Bastard Balm (Mellitis mellisophyllum) and Marsh Cinquefoil (Comarum palustre). @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
Parsonage Down - "Nil Points"; Martin Down - "Tres" - Burnt-tip orchids 😃 16/5/2026 @orchidvinny.bsky.social @lizlouise.bsky.social @stevieparsons.bsky.social
Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) 16.05.26 in southern Wiltshire. Unexpected encounter with this scarce species - lady luck smiled and I was able to capture my best ever image of this lovely little insect. #ukbutterflies
Tour de Dorset, 4/5/2026. White helleborine, Bird's-nest orchid, Green-winged orchids, Fly orchids, Southern marsh-orchids, Greater butterfly-orchids and a fish supper 😃😋 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social
Heath-spotted orchids (Dactylorhiza maculata) also in flower today 3/5/2026, East Devon Pebblebeds. @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social
Bee orchids (Ophrys apifera) flowering in Exeter today, 3/5/2026, a good 10 days earlier than last year 😱 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social
Six lovely white Early-purple orchids (Orchis mascula) in a small population (~100 plants) on a road verge North of Exeter this evening 29/4/2026. Another white one close by! @rogercharding.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social
A hyperchromatic hybrid - Anacamptis x kallithea Parents are Anacamptis fragrans x Anacamptis sancta. #RhodesOrchidOdyssey #Greenwings #Orchids
Six of the best - Green-winged Orchid (Anacamptis morio) variations from Barrington Hill Meadows 25.04.26 @bsbibotany.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @withylake.bsky.social #orchid
Some of the truly wonderful Ophrys fuciflora group of orchids from Sicily last week 18-24/4/2026 💛💜🩷🇮🇹 @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social
Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid) - a beautiful hypochromic plant from East Somerset 25.04.26. #orchid @withylake.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social @greenwingstours.bsky.social
