19 Jun 2024
Environmentalists were surprised to discover a remarkable find amidst an unmowed stretch of grassland in Camlet Way, St Michael’s Village.
Green councillor and campaigner Juliet Voisey explained: “As I was walking past the grassy bank by the Memorial Hall on Branch Road, I noticed an unusual plant hiding in the long grass.
“This was not your regular No Mow May flower like daisies, buttercups, or clover. I had a suspicion it was the rare bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) and a quick Google confirmed it. What a discovery, and not just one but a handful of them!
“I contacted Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust who were keen to add the location to their database as the bee orchid is a protected species now, especially as the orchids are slow growing and may only flower once in their lifetime. It is actually the county flower of Bedfordshire. The flowers look like a female bee and males fly in to try to mate with it and end up pollinating the flower. Sadly, the right bee species doesn’t live here, so this orchid is self-pollinated in the UK.
“This is the second year that the grassy bank has been left until autumn to be mown. It just goes to show what can appear when you leave your grass. The what.3.words location is repay.park.yards, and local residents have been coming to take a look at the flowers which should continue flowering until July. If you come to take a look please do so from the pavement to avoid trampling this rare plant. Hopefully we can look forward to more of them appearing over time.”
