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Close-up of a bee orchid flower

Bee orchids

Bee orchids are fascinating and beautiful plants that certainly live up to their name: each flower looks like it has a female bee or wasp resting on it. These modified petals also smell like female bees, emitting enticing chemical signals. These remarkable adaptations are in fact an effective deception to lure a real bee to come and mate.

In most bee orchid species the excited male insect becomes covered in pollen, in turn pollinating the next orchid he visits; a few species, however, are still self-pollinating. These Mediterranean masters of mimicry grow either singly or in small groups in meadows, woodland edges or even by the side of the road.

Scientific name: Ophrys

Rank: Genus

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Distribution

The Bee orchids can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, Europe, Mediterranean, United Kingdom. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Bee orchids distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

About

The genus Ophrys is a large group of orchids from the alliance Orchis in the subtribe Orchidinae. These plants are remarkable in that they successfully reproduce through pseudocopulation, that is, their flowers mimic female insects to such a degree that amorous males are fooled into mating with the flowers, thereby pollinating them. There are many natural hybrids. The type species is Ophrys insectifera L.1753

They are referred to as the "Bee orchids" due to the flowers of some species resemblance to the furry bodies of bees and other insects. Their scientific name Ophrys is the Greek word for "eyebrow", referring to the furry edges of the lips of several species.

Ophrys was first mentioned in the book "Natural History" by Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD).

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