Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Rag pits

Massed wild flowers

Great Butterfly Orchid - Platanthera chlorantha

Common Spotted Orchid -Dactylorhiza Fuchsii

D. Fuchsii

Twayblade - Neottia ovata and detail of the flower

D. Fuchsii

D. Fuchsii

Small Heath

Dark Green Fritillary

Hypericum perforatum

Dactylorhiza fuchsii showing basal leaves

Gymnadenia conopsea - Fragrant Orchid

Lotus corniculatus - Bird's foot trefoil

Euphrasia officianalis -Eyebright

Lovely minute pink flowered crucifer (cardamine bulbifera?)

Twayblade showing its basal leaves amongst the D fuchsii.   Tightly packed flowers below

Small Skipper

Anacamptis pyramidalis -Pyramidal Orchid

Speckled wood

White campion

Damsel fly

Ringlet - a poor picture but they were very frisky

Pink grasses

Gymnadenia conopsea - Fragrant Orchid

Valeriana officionalis

We were told that there was a bee orchid by a stick in the middle of the path.   It was still there, but all the flowers were over.   There is a picture of a bee orchid growing at Whipsnade at:  http://www.cullens.org.uk/Cullens_Images/WHIPS-6-14-PD/_0023652.jpg  

There were also helleborines in seed under some trees so an earlier visit is needed next year.   Apparently there are 10 varieties of orchid on the site and 25 species of butterfly.

Fantastic display of orchids