Leontice leontopetalum - a herbaceous member of the Berberis family. In Crete, at lower altitudes it blooms in February. At an altitude of around 1150m, I found a few in flower on 10.04.26.

Iris tuberosa in Crete 10.04.26. Saw many thousands - and this one with distinctive golden colouration was a stand out!

Poppy Anemone (Anemone coronaria) at an altitude of around 1300m in Crete. 10.04.26.

Anacamptis collina may look a little dull from a distance. However, when you get in close and the sun is shining - then it's an absolute dazzler! Prina, Crete, 09.04.26. @withylake.bsky.social #orchid

A tiny and exquisite orchid - so happy to find Ophrys omegaifera ssp. fleischmannii near Thripti in Crete. 08.04.26. #ophrys #orchid

A magnificent clump of Arum creticum, at around 1000m altitude. Thripti, Crete, 08.04.26. Thrilled to tick it off my wishlist in such spectacular fashion! 😄

Red on the Med. Poppy species glowing in the late sun, eastern Crete, 07.04.26

Ruta chalepensis showing off its frizzy bits nicely in the evening sun. Eastern Crete 07.04.26.

Amongst the thousands of lovely Early Spider orchids (Ophrys sphegodes) today, 6/4/2026, on the Purbecks, Dorset, a couple with coloured and furry petals/sepals 😃 @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

So many Early Spider orchids (Ophrys sphegodes) on the Purbecks today. 1 with unusual colouring on sepals, one with coloured petals. 5/4/2026 @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Lovely to see so many orchids at Dancing Ledge area today #orchids #dorset #wildflowerhour

Sideritis romana, Orobanche sanguinea, and a forest of Yellow Bartsia Parentucellia viscosa. Vendicari, Sicily.

Early purple orchids (Orchis mascula) are flowering at last near Exeter 😃 2/4/2026 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social

Morning Auduoin's Gulls Ichthyaetus audouinii on the beach. Marina di Modica, Sicily. Surely one of the most attractive birds in Europe.

I was surprised how advanced these Green-winged Orchids (Anacamptis morio) were in Dorset today. Looking glorious on a sunny day 2/4/26 #orchid #wildflower #dorset

Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) in Dorset 02.04.26. @withylake.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Lovely variation in Ophrys sphegodes (all subsp. atrata apparently) in a 30m stretch of roadside verge near Plomin, Istria, Croatia. 28/3/2026. 💜🇭🇷

Bastard’s Ramping-fumitory, Fumaria bastardii, in peak bloom on my allotment, Ryde, Isle of Wight. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Ground-pine Ajuga chamaepitys. Always a favourite. Syracuse. Sicily today.

Anacamptis longicornu is a very common species here on Sicily. It's closely related to our familiar Green-winged Orchid A. morio and considered a subspecies by some. A wonderful plant. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Pink Butterfly Orchid Anacamptis papilionacea. Just a few examples seen on Monte Lauro, Sicily today but managing to glow in the rain nonetheless. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Some may consider this one a bit boring, but I’m fond of them. Ophrys bombyliflora - Bumblebee Orchid 🐝 #RhodesOrchidOdyssey

Ophrys reinholdii #RhodesOrchidOdyssey #orchids

Bit nippy on the Istrian peninsula today but managed to find some early flowering orchids ... Serapias lingua (a tick for me 😃), Ophrys bombyliflora and Anacamptis morio. Amazing place 💜🇭🇷

About a dozen or so Green Winged orchids at Barrington Hill, Somerset @ukorchids.bsky.social

A selection of Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) in Dorset 21.03.26. Although this is a decent showing for this date, it'll be mid-April before the best numbers and larger plants are out in force. @ukorchids.bsky.social @withylake.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

I do so love Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna). I have a few cultivars in pots at home, and this double form shows off the amazing dusky-purple colour of the outer petal. Almost like ruffled feathers. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Happy Vernal Equinox - and Happy Flyday! Dark-edged/Greater Bee-fly (Bombylius major) in a Bournemouth churchyard today. #BeeFlyWatch

Some Early spider orchids (Ophrys sphegodes) from The Purbecks, Dorset. 17/3/2026 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social

A fine display of Orchis canariensis on Gran Canaria between 800m and 1500m asl, 21-28/2/2026.

Good evening from Greece… Neotinea lactea / Milky #Orchid #RhodesOrchidOdyssey

A little collage of the Ophrys sphegodes I saw on the Purbeck coast 11.03.26. Please read the ALT text if you are thinking of visiting 😉 @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social @withylake.bsky.social

Good afternoon from the Purbeck coast. An early Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes). Earliest one I've recorded in flower (11.03.26). @ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @withylake.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

First wild orchid of the season in Hampshire 😀

Found some decent clusters of Ramaria stricta that have persisted through winter in central Bournemouth today. #MushroomMonday

Good morning from Greece in spring mode… #RhodesOrchidOdyssey #MuchMoreThanOrchids

Good morning from Greece... Ophrys lucis ( #orchid of light ) #RhodesOrchidOdyssey

A lovely, early spring day brought out large numbers of Wall Lizards (Podarcis muralis) in Bournemouth today (02.03.26).

Ophrys bombyliflora (a first for me 💥) flowering today on Gran Canaria alongside Gennaria diphylla (and seeding Habenaria tridactylites) @1025m asl on a NW facing slope under pine & eucalyptus. Orchis canariensis in full bloom nearby. Happy days! 💜🇪🇸🌋 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social

'Morpho Monday' Our time in Colombia has come to an end, but what a beautiful pair of butterflies to finish with on our final day in the field!

El Teide at sunset from Gran Canaria 🧡🌋 Gennaria diphylla by the thousand in the remnants of the laurisilva forest at 500-800m asl. 25/1/2026 🧡🇪🇸 @ukorchids.bsky.social @orchidvinny.bsky.social

The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.

A mostly grey and damp day in not-so-sunny-Bournemouth. Still, there was cheer to be had even on a stroll to the shops. Lesser Celandine leaves pushing through and daffodils opening here and there. Hazel catkins were also looking splendid! @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Orchis canariensis just starting to flower on Gran Canaria today at 950m asl. Habenaria tridactylites a plenty, but going over, and a surprise Monarch butterfly 😃 💜🇪🇸 24/1/2026. @orchidvinny.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Delightful to see the first crocus of 2026 (for me) popping up in Bournemouth Gardens today. As I got in close with the phone to capture this image, I also found my first stinging nettle of 2026. Back of my wrist is still smarting 5 hours later...🤪

The very rare hybrid of Penguin x Avocet x Meerkat - or perhaps 2 male Pintail Ducks with their arse in the air...near Lymington 10.01.26

Little Egret near Lymington - not long after sunrise 10.01.26. I still recall my utter surprise and joy at seeing my first ever one a few miles away some 40-ish years ago (not knowing they were recolonising). I said to my friend who was with me at the time: "That's a f*cking Egret!!!" 🤣

Stunning botany on Tenerife over the last couple of days 🤍🌋

My absolute favourite plant of 2025 was Opposite-leaved Pondweed Groenlandia densa, a plant that has dropped off the cliff. I found it in November in the River Ems catchment, the first record since Queen Victoria's Jubilee. She was delighted, as you can see. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Was expecting a couple of floral surprises on my Xmas Day stroll in Bournemouth - but Whitlow Grass already?! 🙂 @bsbibotany.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social