Saturday 29 July 2017

Dark-red Helleborine in the Peak District

I finally caught up with Dark-red Helleborine today, one of the rarest orchids found in the Peak District. It's only regularly recorded from Cressbrook Dale, Coombs Dale and Priestcliffe Lees but has been recorded in the Via Gellia and Biggin Dale. 
Dark-red Helleborine from the Derbyshire Flora

There was an infamous incident in July 2008 when a solitary plant was uprooted and stolen from Coombs Dale SSSI, so I had best not give the location of today's sighting. 
They flower during the month of July so are at the end of their flowering season now and are past their best.

Dark-red Helleborine
Thanks to John Bradley in particular for pointing me in the right direction.
In common with other areas that are good for flowers there were plenty of butterflies including Dark Green Fritillary and the Six-spot Burnet moth.
Dark Green Fritillary
Six-spot Burnet


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