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LIVE 24-SEVEN


the vast majority of our countryside is devoid of orchids and so wherever they occur, they are signalling that you are in a special place!


To see orchids, you need to be n the right place at the right time, as different orchids flower at different times. As the name would imply the Early Purple Orchid is the first of our orchids to bloom and Autumn Ladies Tresses our last. We’re fortunate in that some of our nature reserves have superb displays of orchids and they are open for all to enjoy. So visit your local Wildlife Trust website, find the sites near you and head out on a hunt. (Please remember the countryside code and never pick any, and also be careful where you stand so as not to trample the flowers.)


Let’s take a closer look at ten of our species which are spread out across the spring/summer:


The orchid season starts in April with: Early Purple Orchid When: April in to May. Where: This orchid occurs in both grassland and woodlands. Try Lea and Paget’s Wood on the Woolhope Dome in Herefordshire to find these along with a host of other woodland flowers.


Green Winged Orchid When: May. Where: We’re fortunate to have a number of superb sites for this scarce orchid species. Pentwyn Farm and particularly New Grove Meadows reserve near Trellech in Monmouthshire are fantastic sites holding thousands of spikes forming an amazing display alongside Cowslips at this time of year.


June is the peak orchid spotting month: Common Twayblade When: June Where: Another species equally at home in grassland and woodland. Relatively common but quite tricky to see until you get closer as they are green! If you are in a flowery meadow or Ancient Woodland keep your eyes peeled for them, with their distinctive two big leaves which give them their name.


Common Spotted Orchid When: June Where: By far the most common. When occurring in abundance they can give fields a pink haze, try Pentwyn Farm Reserve, south of Monmouth for displays of thousands. Although finding just one spike in a field that previously had none can be just as exciting as it can be the prelude of many more given the right management, and a bit of luck.


Southern Marsh Orchid When: June Where: On damper grasslands, the Southern Marsh Orchid occurs at quite a few sites. Great Traston Meadows on the Gwent Levels hosted 4,000 spikes at the last count.


Greater Butterfly Orchid When: June Where: A scarce species, not present at many sites, again Pentwyn Farm has a good population that is thankfully growing in numbers. Join us at Gwent Wildlife Trust on our guided walk in June when they will be at their peak and we can show you where they reside. Visit www.gwentwildlife.org/events to find out more or email info@gwentwildlife.org


Bee Orchid When: June Where: Perhaps our most exotic-looking orchid, they can sometimes pop up in all sorts of places out of the blue. Try Butterfly Conservation Trusts “Rough Bank” reserve near Stroud. As well as Bee Orchids, another 11 orchid species have been recorded there.


Bird’s Nest Orchid When: June Where: This unusual, chlorophyll-free orchid is a difficult one to spot due to its colour and habitat in shaded woods. Various woods in The Forest of Dean are good sites to find this species.


Diversity reduces later in the year but it is the time of year for a number of our scarcer species:


Fragrant Orchid When: July Where: Quite a scarce species (has recently been split in to three separate species (Heath, Common and Marsh fragrant-orchid)). Rodborough Common near Stroud is a good site along with a host of other flora and butterflies at this time of year.


Autumn Ladies Tresses When: August through to September. Where: The last of our orchids to flower has a restricted and sadly decreasing population. There are still sites you can visit however, try Swifts Hill Reserve near Stroud, which is managed by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.


Good luck with your orchid hunting over the summer and if possible, please submit your records to your local record centre.


For those who like a challenge, as far as we know, Fly Orchid, Frog Orchid, Narrow-lipped Helleborine, Small White Orchid and Narrow- leaved Helleborine are all extinct in Gwent. If you think you’ve found one of these, we’d love to know about it, so please get in touch!


Happy searching! You can find out more about the work of Gwent


Wildlife Trust and details of our orchid guided walk in June and other walks, talks and events we’re


holding by visiting www.gwentwildlife.org/events or by emailing info@gwentwildlife.org


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LIVE24-SEVEN.COM


GWENT WI LDL I F E TRUST ORCHIDS


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