Seasonal Changes at Boothby
Bee Orchid at Boothby Wildland, 2024
by Lloyd Park, Boothby Ranger, 18 June 2024
As we transition between Spring and Summer (if you can call sustained periods of cold and wet weather Spring), change is afoot at Boothby Wildland. Noticeably the once farmed fields are dotted with colour like a Jackson Pollock canvas. Notice the distinctive red of the Common Poppy or the vibrant gloss yellow of Buttercup, the delicate pristine white of Oxeye Daisy nodding in the breeze, or the subtle blue of the Field Forget-me-knot. Yes, it may look a little rough around the edges as the fields begin to emerge with an abundance of plants, commonly referred to as weeds by so many, but these plants bring a much-needed source of pollen and nectar for a plethora of insects and wildlife to feed and breed on.
Occasionally there are flowers that are like little jewels. Not as common as some of the previously mentioned species, but renowned for their beauty, one such group is Orchids. Boothby has been lucky enough to play host to at least four species this year. Bee, Common Spotted, Pyramidal and Southern Marsh Orchid.
Have you every stopped to admire the complexity surrounding such flowers. This year a number of Bee Orchids are present around the lodge at Boothby, with their eye catching bee like petal (Labellum), which is a great example of sexually deceptive pollination and amazing floral mimicry. Although Bee Orchids are capable of self-pollination in some parts of Europe, the plant has evolved the bee-like labellum. This, coupled with allomones (the name given to a chemical released by one species which attracts a different species), help the Bee Orchid to deceive certain species of male bees. The males are tricked into copulating with the mimicking flower, thinking it’s a female of their own species, during which pollen is transferred. The Bee-like labellum is unique to each plant, much the same as your own fingerprint! This isn’t the end of this plant’s extraordinary relationships with another species. Many orchids rely in a harmonious relationship with fungi within the soil, helping the roots of the orchid to establish over time. The specifics of the soil and flower are quite exact, which is why some years lots of orchids can be present and in other years we see far fewer.
The next time you’re wandering through the delights of the Boothby wildland, keep a keen eye out for the diamond in the rough (or should that be ‘pyramid’) and take a moment to think of the many complex relationships happening between plant, insect, bird, mammal or fungi.