Ground workers have unearthed a rare pair of bee orchids in Suffolk.
Gary Baggott and Joseph Wicko, grounds maintenance operatives for the Flagship Group, found the flowers in Stoney Road in Grundisburgh, near Woodbridge.
The bee orchid, named for its likeness to a female bee, utilises this disguise to attract male bees for pollination.
However, in the absence of their preferred bee species in the UK, the flowers have evolved to self-pollinate.
Mr Baggott said: “As soon as we saw them we knew what they were.
The bee orchids at the Stoney Road site in Grundisburgh (Image: Flagship Group)
"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.”
While not endangered, bee orchids are under protection due to dwindling numbers and thus, their appearance is a rare event.
This unexpected occurrence transpires during the implementation of Flagship's initiative to establish 150 new wildflower meadows on its 1,000-plus green spaces annually until 2030.
Interestingly, the site of discovery, Stoney Road, isn't yet included within this programme.
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Daniel Salliss, Flagship's biodiversity and land manager, said on the find: “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.”
Despite being successfully discovered in Flagship’s green spaces previously, the bee orchids' unexpected presence in an urban environment sheds light on their adaptability.
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