Bee Orchid

...(Ophrys apifera) at Blashford Lakes, Hampshire UK

The Bee Orchid gets its name from its main pollinator - the bee - which is thought to have driven the evolution of the flowers. To attract the pollinating bees, the plant has evolved bee-like flowers; drawing them in with the promise of love! The bees are naturally attracted to the flowers and fly in to attempt a mating, but as they land on the velvet-textured lip of the flower, the pollen is transferred and the poor bee is left frustrated. Sadly, the right species of bee (Tetralonia cressa and Eucera pulveraceae) doesn't occur in the UK, so Bee Orchids are self-pollinated here.