Orchids

This month has seen an explosion of orchids on the Moors.
At just one site on Big Moor I counted over 100 bee orchid -

Not too far away there is a large patch of common spotted orchids -

 

And another large patch of the twayblade orchid -

The deep purple colour of the  marsh orchid made them easy to spot, but whether they are southern marsh, northern marsh or crosses between the two, only an expert could tell! I think the second photo below is of a marsh orchid crossed with a common spotted.

Compared to the White Peak, these Moors are looked upon by some people, as being the poor relation when it comes to wild flowers. The orchids prove there is more to the Eastern Moors than just heather and cotton grass.