# Early Spider-orchid (*Ophrys sphegodes*)

The Early Spider-orchid is a beautiful flower that looks like a tiny spider! It blooms in spring and can be found in grassy areas. Its unique shape and colors make it special in nature.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Early Spider-orchid](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Early_Spider_Orchid_flowers_-_geograph.org.uk_-_804520.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Ian Capper, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Early_Spider_Orchid_flowers_-_geograph.org.uk_-_804520.jpg)

## Appearance

The Early Spider-orchid has a slender green stem, topped with a spike of striking flowers. Each individual flower features green-striped sepals and a dark brown, velvety lip (labellum) often marked with a glossy blue or purple 'H' pattern, closely resembling a female spider.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Orchidaceae
- **Genus:** Ophrys

## Interesting facts

- It often thrives on chalky soils, which are very rich in calcium carbonate.
- Its scientific name, Ophrys sphegodes, means 'eyebrow-like' and 'wasp-like'.
- The Early Spider-orchid is one of the very first wild orchids to bloom each spring.
- This orchid flower offers no nectar, surviving by its clever trickery alone!

## Special abilities

- **Deceptive Scent:** Early Spider-orchid can release special scents that mimic female insect pheromones, tricking male bees into visiting its flowers.
- **Spider Impersonator:** The orchid has a flower shape that perfectly imitates a female spider, complete with fuzzy hairs and a shiny body-like patch.
- **Pollinator Trapper:** By attracting male insects for 'pseudocopulation', the orchid ensures pollen gets attached to them, ready for the next flower.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late winter to spring
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Mining Bee (*Andrena nigroaenea*) — Tricked into mating with the flower, carrying pollen.
- **Symbiotic with:** Mycorrhizal Fungus (*Tulasnella calospora*) — Provides essential nutrients to the orchid's roots.
- **Eaten by:** Domestic Sheep (*Ovis aries*) — Grazing sheep can sometimes consume these orchids in pastures.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick flowers; they are best enjoyed in nature!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Early Spider-orchid?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Early Spider-orchid?

10-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Early Spider-orchid?

1-2 cm

### When does Early Spider-orchid bloom?

Late winter to spring

### Is Early Spider-orchid edible?

No

### Is Early Spider-orchid toxic?

None

### What is Early Spider-orchid's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Early Spider-orchid pollinated?

Insect

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Early Spider-orchid: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/early-spider-orchid)