Kildare Wildlife Watch: Wild orchids making a comeback
Unmowed areas yielding new treasures
As communities and gardeners have become more aware of pollinators and the actions we can take to support them, many are now allowing areas of their gardens, roadside verges and parks grow wild for a few months each year.
This allows dandelions, buttercups, daisies and a whole range of wild flowers bloom in turn providing a valuable nectar source for pollinators.
With this pollinator friendly action has come a surprise for many as orchids have begun to bloom in their communities.
Regular mowing never gave orchids a chance to bloom, but today as we have allowed grass grow wild in some areas common spotted orchid, bee orchids, pyramidal orchids, and this weeks species the lesser butterfly orchid (Magairlín beag an fhéileacáin as Gaeilge), are now observed in our gardens and communities more regularly.
There are many characteristics that make orchids stand out from other flowering plants, but I find the most interesting to be their symmetry, which is known as being zygomorphic.
This means if you cut an orchid flower in half, top to bottom, one side would look like the other- just like a face.
Most other flowers are radially symmetric — and look similar all the way around. The lesser butterfly orchid has creamy white flowers blooming on a spike of up to 15cm in height.
Each flower has a long narrow lip, which is actually one of the plant's three petals that has adapted in size to attract and provide a landing platform for the orchids pollinators,.
In some orchids this lip can be larger and more colourful than the other petals. This orchid also has pollen sacs that grow parallel, which is an important feature to note, as it can be confused with the greater butterfly orchid whose pollen sacs are an inverted ‘V’ according to Wildflowers of Ireland.
Lesser butterfly orchid is a night scented orchid, which supports it to attract its main pollinators, moths. This orchid also has two leaves, which grow at the base of the plant.
If you would like help identifying a wildlife observation in your community you can contact me on [email protected].
- Nuala Madigan, The Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore