Photographs: Co. Cork

Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera Magairlín na mbeach Family: Orchidaceae Flowering time: June-July. Perennial. Native. Pink sepals spread wide above a reddish-brown labellum that resembles a bee. The labellum is velvety, broader than the sepals but almost the same length. Loose basal rosettes of grey-green, lanceolate, pointed leaves and erect leafy stems. Tuberous root system. Height:25-45cm Calcareous grassland, dunes, old quarries and meadows. Rare, with a scattered distribution. A protected species in Northern Ireland.

Bee Orchid, Ophrys apifera, Magairlín na mbeach