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Hi all,
Just been re- living my butterfly summer in pictures,and I came across this unusual Bee Orchid shot,it was taken at Broadcroft quarry,on Portland,earlier this year,whist trying (unsuccessfully) for Silver Studded Blues,i,m familiar with the Bee Orchid down here in Kent ,but I,ve never seen one quite like this pale individual,i wondered if it was a named variant ?? I couldn,t see anything like it on the Dorset orchid website+ you can,t contact the site ,so I,m a bit stumped..... any ideas ??
Regards Allan.W. ps; I,ve put the pale indiv; next to a normal Bee for comparison.

Hi again Alan, Anne & Simon Harrap's book on Orchids has illustrations of 6 named varieties, none look like this. A 7th very rare variety ( found in Dorset) is described "Var flavescens", apparently a less extreme version of the pale greenish one with a pale brown lip & a normal but faded pattern & easily confused with old faded normal plants. Yours does not look old or faded so worth exploring further, suggest the Hardy Orchid society or Simon Harrap himself. Eric

Hi again Eric !
Firstly ,apologies for sideways on picture,don't know whats happened there! thanks for commenting on the plant,i must admit I've never seen one quite like this one
I've looked on the internet,various field guides, including Wild orchids of Britain and Europe,by P + J Davis and Anthony Huxley,which is quite comprehensive,but nothing matches,I think i'll follow your advice and try to contact Mr Harrap ,and the orchid society.Also as you mentioned,the orchid was in excellent condition and not faded,it had another full flower on the other side and another slightly de-formed,i wish now i'd taken a little more time over the pictures,once again Eric many thanks for your help!
i'll keep you posted. Regards Allan.W.

Were all the flowers like this one.

Portland also has Early Spider Orchids, so it could even be a hybrid between the two.

I have seen and photographed the hybrid of Late Spider and Bee Orchid in Kent at Park Gate Down. The result of hand pollination ?

I have known years when the Early Spider appears late and overlaps with Bee Orchid that appear on time in mid- June , 1988 was an example of this.

There are many variants of Bee orchid too.

As the Bee Orchid has no pollinator in the UK, and selfs every flower, there are often many plants of the same form around, the Wasp Orchid is an example of this.

Hello mr spock,
I was quite pleased to find good numbers of Bee orchid on my trip down to Dorset,i sent the pictures to the hardy orchid society ,as suggested by Eric y ,they were very helpful ,and there suggestion is that it a variety known as "Cambrensis", I didn,t take to much notice of the other plants,but I reckon I found 12-15 in all. regards Allan W.