Bee orchids are a really special species that can appear when we stop mowing so often!
As you may know, Seaford town council are working with various local groups to encourage more nature into our green spaces. This includes allowing grass to grow longer in some areas for example the Pump field (working with the Cliff Gardens project), the Covers and leaving long margins round community fields like the Salts and Martello Fields.
Seaford Action for Nature (On the Verge) regularly monitor these spaces to see how many wildlflower species can be seen. These provide food and shelter for the insects that we need for wildlife to thrive in the town. All flowers bring us joy, but orchids are special. This is one reason why we are monitoring populations of pyramidal orchids at Hawth Hill, and keep a close eye out for others. Do get in touch if you are interested in helping our survey team.
Imagine our excitement when in May we found not one, but dozens of bee orchids in the Pump field for the first time!
Bee orchids are amazing and really do look like bees! Originally these would have been pollinated by the Longhorn bee (Eucera longicornis). Male bees would land on the flower which has the appearance and even pheromones that smell like a female longhorn bee!
Sadly this bee is now rare in the UK and as Charles Darwin first noticed, the plant has adapted to be self-pollinated.
Bee orchids may not need the bees, but what they do need is something called mycorrhizal fungi to extract sufficient nutrients from the soil they grow in.
How did these plants and fungi get here? We don’t really know but assume they have been sitting in the ground waiting for the right conditions. For example for the field to be left unmowed at this time, and a meadow cut to take place in the Autumn to remove the arisings, which can nourish the grasses growing, and swamp small flowers like this one. We are learning more about the relationships between species all the time, but what is clear is that we need as many different species to survive and evolve. We need to encourage councils and land owners to leave space for wildlife to survive and to thrive.
An interesting blog here about how “No mow May” is helping this stunning plant!
“Ah this is amazing!! You must be so thrilled. Huge well done for all that you’re doing, thanks so much for speaking up for the plants!” Leif Bersweden, author of books the Orchid Hunter and Where the wildflowers grow!
Bioblitz in the Pump field
On Saturday Seaford Natural History Group and Seaford Action for Nature (previously On the Verge) led a bioblitz in the Pump field, supported by Ouse Valley Climate Action fund. This was a brilliant opportunity to see renaturing in action. Armed with sweep nets, and pots, and a table full of books, lots of visitors came to learn more about insects and other creatures (results to follow).
We also kept our eyes on the skies and were treated to a stunning spectacle of kittiwakes flying with nest material . The birds were clearing damp grass cuttings from the fields, and taking them to the cliff edge. It really is extraordinary how nature adapts and finds its way!
