A routine day at work for two of Flagship Housing’s grounds maintenance team stepped out of the norm when they stumbled upon some rare wildflowers.
The two men had chanced upon a pair of bee orchids while working in Grundisbugh, in Suffolk; uncommon and unusual flowers, they are noted for their resemblance to the pollinating insects.
Gary Baggott, who spotted the flowers alongside colleague Joseph Wicko, said: “As soon as we saw them we knew what they were. They’re such beautiful, distinctive flowers, and it felt really special to see some in the wild.
“Even though it’s not one of the designated meadow sites it’s amazing to see them growing spontaneously, and we’ll take extra care around here during the flowering period to make sure they’re not disturbed.”
The discovery comes amid a Flagship programme to create 150 new wildflower meadows on its 1,000+ green spaces each year until 2030.
While the area at Stoney Road in Grundisburgh is not yet designated one of these sites, the presence of these orchids is a surprising one, which demonstrates that these flowers can thrive in unexpected locations.
Bee orchids are named for their remarkable resemblance to female bees, which they use to lure male bees in to help with the plant’s pollination – although this species of bee is not native to the UK, so here the flowers are self-pollinating.
While not classified as endangered, bee orchids are nonetheless declining and considered uncommon, and are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 in the UK, so their appearance is relatively rare.
While their rarity varies regionally, they’re a little more common in Southern England compared to Northern areas but nonetheless represent an unusual find. The discovery of these orchids by Flagship’s staff underscores the importance of ongoing conservation and the careful maintenance of local environments, the organisation says.
Daniel Salliss, biodiversity and land manager for Flagship, said: “We are thrilled by this discovery, and it highlights the richness of our local biodiversity and the critical role our team plays in preserving it.
“Through our biodiversity strategy we’ve committed to increasing biodiversity on our land across the East of England for the benefit of our tenants and the environment. It’s a lovely surprise to see something like these orchids thriving, even in an urban environment, and we’ll be sure to keep these safe and look out for more.”
Bee orchids typically flower in the UK around May to July, and this is not the first time they’ve been spotted in Flagship’s areas with some found last summer in the Woodbridge area as well.
Main image: Grounds maintenance operative Gary Baggott next to one of the bee orchids. Credit: Flagship Group
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