ABOVE AND BELOW DARK-RED HELLEBORINE
ABOVE AND BELOW TWO DIFFERENT FORMS OF THE COMMON SPOTTED ORCHID
Gait Barrows - 4th July 2010
The plan was to search for the Dark-red Helleborine Orchid that (again) Mike had told us about the previous day and then try and search for the two fritillary butterflies that are resident there. Well all started off well as we set off mid-morning but as we parked up at Gait Barrows the rain started, that fine stuff that soaks you through! So all plans of butterflies went out the window but a Orchid hunting we went. The Dark-red Helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens) is found in exposed limestone areas such as Gait Barrows and with it being restricted to these sites isn't common through out the UK. On our visit we only managed to find 3 specimens but with the rain on the limestone it was getting very slippy and the added danger of the deep clefts (grikes) we didn't search as long as we'd liked.
On our continued walk around Gait Barrows (we never seem to go back the same way we enter!) we came across this white form of the Common Spotted Orchid and in the meadows 20 Common Spotted a much paler pink variety than the ones found at Stags Lodge, CVP.
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Nice orchid photos, I'm glad you found them, it's not too easy searching in the rain. I should have warned you how the pavement can be a dangerous place when wet. The butterflies will be around for a while yet so you should be ok later. A good weekend then, with the S-s Blues as well (even despite the rain today). Mike.
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