Irish meadow orchids are specially adapted to attract pollinators like bees, moths and butterflies and are characterized by their intricate and often colourful flowers.
The Bee orchid Ophrys apifera, one of Ireland’s rarer meadow orchids which belongs to the Orchidaceae family, typically flourishes in ‘nutrient-poor’, less managed, grassy areas, where competition from other plants, such as grasses is low.
The Bee orchid has been described by Dr Kevin Walker, Head of Science at Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), as the ‘canary in the cage’ in relation to how climate and landscapes are changing.
With less severe winters, fewer frosts, and reduced mowing management (and lifting of cuttings) these stunning wildflowers are making a comeback.
The Bee orchid (or indeed any orchid) on a business site is therefore the signal from nature that there is a return to a healthy meadow which will support wider biodiversity including pollinators.
The billiard table lawn won’t cut it
So is it difficult to encourage Bee orchids on site?
The answer is ‘No’.
We just need to give them space to flourish and stop tidying or mowing them out of our landscape.
Cutting less often, and allowing longer grass, gives the slower growing natural occurring wildflowers a change to flower within the grass. See Action 6 of Businesses: actions to help pollinators.
Pollen and nectar-rich Clovers, Bird’s-foot-trefoil, Self-heal and Knapweed that bees love will appear when you cut less often (and lift the cuttings), but it might also see something more magical such as the Bee orchid.
Chemical impacts on Bee orchids
Like all orchids, a Bee orchid can’t grow without its fungus and is therefore vulnerable to chemicals (e.g. fungicides).
The Bee orchid relies upon the symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi to extract sufficient nutrients from the soil in which they grow. See Actions 17 & 18 of Businesses: actions to help pollinators.
Plant-pollinator coevolution
The Bee orchid is self-pollinated in Ireland as the right bee species Eucera longicornis doesn’t live here. But where Eucera longicornis and Ophrys apifera (Bee orchid) thrive they provide an amazing example of plant-pollinator coevolution.
The Bee orchid emits a scent that resembles a female solitary bee. The flowers mimic the female bees so skillfully, that amorous males fly in to try to mate with it and end up pollinating the flower.
Bee orchids on business sites
As AIPP business supporters implement evidence-based actions of reduced mowing on their sites they are witnessing the magical appearance of Bee orchids.
- Sonova Consumer Hearing Ireland (County Offaly)
PICs: Ed Healy
County Offaly based Sonova Consumer Hearing Ireland is witnessing a true transformation on their business site. New to the All-Ireland Pollinator plan in April 2022, Sonova’s Environmental Health & Safety Officer, Edmund Healy, immediately implemented the reduced mowing in May 2022 with the full support of Sonova Senior Management Team and the Grounds Maintenance Contractor. In just a year (June 2024), 4 species of orchid have appeared on their site including the magical Bee orchid!
It’s not just the Bee orchid which has made a dramatic entrance on Sonova’s site, but also Common spotted, Heath spotted and Pyramidal orchids too.
- Laois Partnership Company (County Laois)
PIC: Catherine Rowan
Recent new AIPP business supporter, Laois Partnership Company, is already seeing changes on site. A reduced mowing regime, in line with the AIPP Meadow guidelines, was introduced by Pat Doody, an employee with an interest in the environment, in April 2024 after discussion with a local horticulturalist. The Bee orchid appeared one month later. Fully supported by the Senior Management Team, it was the local community neighbours who struggled a bit with the change management – perceiving the site management as somewhat ‘untidy’. However, with signage and mown patterns, the general public have become fascinated with the unusual wildflowers appearing including the Bee and Pyramidal orchids, Self-heal, Scarlet pimpernel, Yellow Rattle, Forget-me-nots and Common Yarrow. The new LPC website will highlight the work on this on-site meadow.
- Gilead Sciences Ireland (County Cork)
PIC: James Sexton
When Gilead Sciences Ireland decided to do reduced mowing management on their site there were a small number of Bee orchids which appeared in Year 1. In the second year of reduced mowing there was probably double that number. By year three Bee orchids had spread across the site. The change management on site, championed by James Sexton, Sr Facilities Engineer Operations & Sustainability, has been fully supported by the Grounds Maintenance contractor – it was he who suggested it as a biodiversity action. Although initially reticent with a few complaints about the change management of the site and the ‘untidy’ look of the grassy areas, staff have started to understand the benefits to pollinators and many are considering reduced mowing in their gardens.
- The Shannon Airport Group (County Clare)
PICs: Arek Gdulinski
SNN Group has recently discovered Bee orchids on the outskirts of the airport’s Dernish Island where the lawns are left unmanaged. SNN Group is also witnessing a significant increase in wildflower species and insects on long-flowering meadows now cut once a year in autumn. The first Pyramidal orchids were observed three months after the introduction of a low mowing regime at one of their sites managed in line with the AIPP guidance Creating and restoring meadows in local communities and gardens meadows. Change management across the SNN Group site has been agreed with the Grounds Maintenance Contractor and has been communicated to management and staff. SNN Group has also engaged local botanist Phoebe O’Brien to conduct a baseline survey.
Bee orchid sightings – 2016 onwards
In the National Biodiversity Data Centre, we typically received sightings from around 20 sites each year; some records refer to a solitary flower, others to a few dozen flowers at a time.
However, that has changed since 2016 when sightings began to increase (see graph below).
It’s hard to identify a definite link, but equally hard not to assume that it has something to do with the reduced mowing (and lifting of cuttings) that is encouraged through the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.
If Bee orchids are increasing, so are lots and lots of other wildflowers that help pollinators.
Bee orchids appear to be on the move both ecologically and geographically and these changes are providing tantalising insights into how our environment is changing.
If these early indications are correct, the Bee orchid and its migration across the island may well be the ‘canary in the cage’ when it comes to climate change, plant conservation AND healthy meadows which are providing increasing species richness and thus vital food sources for pollinators.
Sarah Kelly & Una FitzPatrick
Resources
- Spotted bee orchids on your site in 2024? SUBMIT sightings here ALSO send your bee orchid pics to Sarah Kelly [email protected]
- Review Creating and restoring meadows in on business sites, in local communities and gardens
- Consider participating in No Mow May, an evidence-based action next year. Review other evidence-based pollinator-biodiversity actions in Businesses: actions to help pollinators.
Featured image courtesy of Catherine Rowan, Laois Partnership Company.