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Ophrys apifera
Ophrys apifera grows to a height of 15–50 centimetres (6–20 in). The plant blooms from mid-April to July producing a spike composed from one to twelve flowers. The flowers have large sepals, with a central green rib and their colour varies from white to pink, while petals are short, pubescent, yellow to greenish. The labellum is trilobed, with two pronounced humps on the hairy lateral lobes, the median lobe is hairy and similar to the abdomen of a bee. It is quite variable in the pattern of coloration, but usually brownish-red with yellow markings. The gynostegium is at right angles, with an elongated apex. Ophrys apifera is the only species of the genus Ophrys which preferentially practices self-pollination. The flowers emit allomones that attract the bee species Tetralonia cressa and Eucera pulveraceae. Eucera longicornis males have been observed attempting to copulate with the flowers. It is believed that male bees would preferentially select orchids with the most bee-like lips and attempt to mate with them, transferring pollen in the process.
Molenbeek, Erps-Kwerps. http://oud.kortenberg.com/kaardebol/mole...
Spotted on Jun 15, 2014
Submitted on Aug 19, 2014
23 Comments
Thank you Thanasis, Fyn and the rest :-)
Beautiful orchid
Gracias Luis!
Excelente serie Marta!
Many thanks sunnyjosef! :-)
Lovely flower.... Great find Marta...
Thank you galea.lara! :-)
Amazing photos Marta RubioTexeira! :) Well done
Thanks beaker98!
What an awesome orchid! I've never seen anything like that.
Many thanks Adarsha and Madalena :-)
Beautiful capture Marta :)
Beautiful spotting!
Thanks Jopy, Reza and the rest :-)
Pretty orchid! Love it!
Thanks Dilan! :-)
Wow!Beautiful series Marta~!!
Thanks to you for appreciating the spotting, armadeus.4! ;-)
Oh wow! Marta...a beautiful series of a gorgeous orchid. Thank you for sharing :)
Pieter: if you go next year to the Natuurpunt reservaat in Molenbeek chances are that you will find them there. It was in a broad clearing in between woods and there were several species of orchids there at that moment and these were all over the place :-)
Thanks Stephanie & hernandezwolf! First time I see them in nature while hiking. I was very happy to find them :-)
So nice you found one! I have never seem them here before :)
Such a beautiful flower, Marta! The colors are amazing!