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Bee Orchid

Ophrys apifera

The Bee Orchid is a special flower that looks like a bee! It has pretty purple and yellow petals and loves to grow in sunny places. This flower is not only beautiful but also helps bees find food.

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Bee Orchid has a stem topped with several striking flowers, each mimicking a female bumblebee with fuzzy, brown, velvety lips, yellow markings, and two small, greenish-pink petals resembling antennae. Its sepals are typically bright pink or purple, making it highly distinctive.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderAsparagalesFamilyOrchidaceaeGenusOphrys
Bee Orchid
flowering trait badgespring_blooming trait badgesummer_blooming trait badgefragrant_flower trait badge
Bee Orchid

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

Be the first to snap!

Interesting facts

It can grow in some surprising places, like old quarries!

Its scientific name 'apifera' literally means 'bee-bearing'.

Male bees get frustrated when they can't find a real mate!

The Bee Orchid is a super rare sight in Ireland.

Special abilities

Ability

Bee Deceiver

Bee Orchid can perfectly imitate a female bee's look and scent to trick male bees into attempting to mate with it.

Ability

Sticky Pollen Pockets

Bee Orchid has sticky pollen masses that attach to the bee during pseudocopulation, ready to be transferred.

Ability

Self-Fertilizing Power

Bee Orchid can self-pollinate if no suitable insect pollinators are found, ensuring it can still reproduce.

Measurements & details

Height
10-50 cm
Flower Size
1-2 cm
Bloom Season
Late Spring to Mid-Summer
Edible
No
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Long-horned Bee

Eucera longicornis

Male bees are tricked into attempting to mate with the flower.

symbiotic with

Fungus

Tulasnella calospora

Its seeds rely on this fungus to germinate and grow.

shelters

Upright Brome

Bromus erectus

Often found growing amongst this grass in chalky meadows.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Look at flowers from a distance and don't pick them, so they can keep growing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is Bee Orchid?

10-50 cm

How big are the flowers on Bee Orchid?

1-2 cm

When does Bee Orchid bloom?

Late Spring to Mid-Summer

Is Bee Orchid edible?

No

Is Bee Orchid toxic?

None

What is Bee Orchid's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is Bee Orchid pollinated?

Insect

Where is Bee Orchid usually found?

Grasslands

Snap Map

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