Postcard from the field from our superb orchid-hunter tour leader @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social:

Yesterday saw the start of our #OrchidsOfCrete tour, and we're off to a flying start with some delicious Ophrys to savour from the very start. Watch this space - the coming days will be fabulous.

Garlic Mustard (Jack by the Hedge) in my Sheffield garden. Larval host plant of the Orange Tip butterfly. The patch is the lushest and most extensive it has ever been. Hopefully feeding a large crop of caterpillars! 🦋

A glorious morning on the streets of Nether Edge, Sheffield

I can't wait to co-lead this wonderful tour this summer with my dear friend Kate joining us - she's fabulous company, and will make a brilliant week of butterflies in some of Europe's most outstanding landscapes all the more enjoyable.

On the subject of tours I cannot wait to co-lead, I'm already looking forward immensely to Orchids of Sardinia next year...

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...

#orchids

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), A Spring in Provence © Brian Small

Ashy-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava cinereocapilla), A Spring in Provence © Brian Small

Postcard from the field, from tour leaders Dave Fairhurst & Brian Small in southern France:

Our A Spring in Provence tour is under way, and we've spent a wonderful day in the wetlands of the Camargue, with masses of birds on show. More birds, butterflies, wildflowers to follow in the coming days...

At this time of year, the Welsh Poppy's in my Sheffield based garden begin to flower. On cloudy days especially, the yellow glow feels almost luminous.

My steeply sloping and shaded front garden. Bluebell heaven during late April and early May each year. Around two weeks early this year!

Ophrys rhodia, peloric form, found by tour co-leader Jon, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Serapias bergonii, hypochromic form, found by guest Wendy, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Our orchid tours are friendly and collaborative events, with guides and guests alike finding amazing plants for the benefit and enjoyment of all. Today was certainly no exception, with some outrageous finds to our collective credit.

Our partners at ZERYNTHIA are calling on the Canary Island government to protect the endemic Pieris cheiranthi which is in the brink of extinction. They have our full support

Wonderful! 🌼

It's peak Cowslip season in my Sheffield garden meadow at the moment. Around 400 flower spikes in just 10x10 metres of meadow. The bees love them! 🐝

That glorious green glow of Horse Chestnut trees in early April each year. This one is just round the corner from me.

First Small White butterfly of the year in my Sheffield garden. What a beautiful Bank Holiday Monday it was. ☀️

Disa tenuifolia © Mayur Prag

Disa venusta © Mayur Prag

We're excited to announce Orchids of the Western Cape, a brand new tour in collaboration with our good friends at Birding Africa.

Their orchid and butterfly specialists will be designing further new tours to operate with us in future - watch this space!

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...

One of my favourite flowers of Spring. This Snake's Head Fritillary in the wettest part of my Sheffield garden meadow.

Green-winged Orchid (Anacamptis morio ssp. caucasica), Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Collage of Pink Butterfly Orchid (Anacamptis papilionacaea) and variations, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

A tale of two Anacamptis. While the green-wings have been feeble, the butterflies have been soaring on Rhodes this past fortnight.

Green-winged Orchid are frankly a bit underwhelming this year, but Pink Butterfly Orchid and its variations have been spectacular. #OrchidsOfRhodes

Oxlips are appearing in our local ancient woodland in Cambs.
#WildflowerHour.

Violet Limodore (Limodorum abortivum), Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Violet Limodore (Limodorum abortivum), Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

If you're coming to Rhodes looking for orchids, and your guides tell you it's been a cool, wet spring and it's too early for Violet Limodore to be flowering... they're wrong. A lovely colony of this strangest of orchids seen yesterday by our #OrchidsOfRhodes group. 💜

#orchids #bloomscrolling

For #WildflowerHour #treeflowers here's a disease-resistant elm, probably Ulmus 'Lutece' (Nanguen) planted at Bobbingworth NR #Essex

Ophrys mammosa x reinholdii, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Ophrys halia, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Postcard from the field from tour leader @dunnjons.bsky.social leading our current #OrchidsOfRhodes tour:

It's been a productive day exploring the woodlands of the central spine of the island, with some excellent finds to be had, including a fine hybrid and a mighty Ophrys halia.

Amelanchier lamarckii in full flower now on a Sheffield street near me. We've funded the planting of over 20 of them amongst the 358 local street trees we've funded this last 5 years.

African Migrant (Catopsilia florella) © David Moore

Postcard from the field, from tour leader David Moore:

Our Butterflies of Tenerife tour is up and running, and already seeing some fine things - including several African Migrant today. What a ray of sunshine they are.

Canary Red Admiral (Vanessa vulcania) © David Moore

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) © Dave Fairhurst

Postcard from the field from tour leaders David Moore & Dave Fairhurst:

Our Butterflies of Tenerife tour is well under way now, with today featuring pristine Canary Red Admiral & Monarch, among other highlights...

Dog Violets are just bursting into flower in my Sheffield garden 🌼

It's Magnolia season, and don't we love it! 💚

Ophrys blitopertha, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Ophrys lindia, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

A wonderful day for our guests in Rhodes today that combined culture in the beautiful historic town of Lindos, and some fine #orchids, including Ophrys blitopertha and eponymous Ophrys lindia. We're roaring through the forties for our species count for the week. #OrchidsOfRhodes

Easy to make this mistake. Marigolds and Marsh Marigolds are not in the same family, despite their similar names and bright yellow color. True garden marigolds belong to the Asteraceae (daisy) family, while marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) belong to the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family.

That's a lovely memory

Ophrys sicula, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

I love a scarce or rare orchid as much as the next orchid-hunter, but I'm far from immune to the beauty of the common species that are readily found here in Rhodes. Ophrys sicula never fails to please.