Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Specific Families and Genera => Pleione and Orchidaceae => Topic started by: mark smyth on July 14, 2012, 09:05:51 PM

Title: Orchids in the Belfast Hills
Post by: mark smyth on July 14, 2012, 09:05:51 PM: Today I was brought to two sites in the Belfast Hills. I need to go back for good photos. It was so windy this morning with low clouds.

We saw
Platanthera - I didnt know they grew so close to my house
D. fuchsii - I never knew they were so variable. Some had fantastic scent.
D. viridis
D. maculata
D. incarnata
Neottia
Epipactis
some sort of Marsh orchid
Title: Re: Orchids in the Belfast Hills
Post by: mark smyth on July 14, 2012, 10:22:27 PM: Is it a moth or various moths that pollinate the butterfly orchid?
Title: Re: Orchids in the Belfast Hills
Post by: daveyp1970 on July 14, 2012, 11:45:22 PM: Quote from: mark smyth on July 14, 2012, 10:22:27 PM
Is it a moth or various moths that pollinate the butterfly orchid?
I am going to put my neck on the block and say yes.........just waiting for the axe! ;D ;D
Title: Re: Orchids in the Belfast Hills
Post by: ronm on July 15, 2012, 09:36:34 AM: I believe your neck should remain intact Davey. ;D Sphingids are the usual pollinators. 8)

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=4&sqi=2&ved=0CE4QFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fuu.diva-portal.org%2Fsmash%2Fget%2Fdiva2%3A161329%2FFULLTEXT01&ei=0X4CUN3DB-O80QWbx7S6Bw&usg=AFQjCNEiCCjqsHcO5peGxBrGjiCdkn24qg&sig2=DLKiq-6PzszyYW5C9rASmQ (http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=4&sqi=2&ved=0CE4QFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fuu.diva-portal.org%2Fsmash%2Fget%2Fdiva2%3A161329%2FFULLTEXT01&ei=0X4CUN3DB-O80QWbx7S6Bw&usg=AFQjCNEiCCjqsHcO5peGxBrGjiCdkn24qg&sig2=DLKiq-6PzszyYW5C9rASmQ)

and

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2640478?uid=3738032&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21100918104301 (http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2640478?uid=3738032&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21100918104301)

There is plenty more documented evidence out there as well, ;D

Here pollinating a related Platanthera sp.

Introduced hawk moth pollinating prairie orchid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_B_P5N_ovg#)
Title: Re: Orchids in the Belfast Hills
Post by: daveyp1970 on July 15, 2012, 08:50:37 PM: O my word what a fantastic vid Ron.Incredible.
Title: Re: Orchids in the Belfast Hills
Post by: ronm on July 15, 2012, 08:58:28 PM: Quote from: daveyp1970 on July 15, 2012, 08:50:37 PM
O my word what a fantastic vid Ron.Incredible.

When you hold these moths in your hands, the power you feel from their muscles is so amazing! :o
Apparently the orchids pollen sacs stick onto the head / eyes of the moth.

One more .....

Native hawk moth pollinating prairie orchid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsxAXf8wbsU#)

In the video a Hermit sphinx hawk moth (Lintneria eremitus (Hübner)) visits flowers in the orchid inflorescence to feed on nectar (12 microliters) in the 50 mm long spur. When the moth feeds, its large compound eyes contact the flower's sticky pads (viscidium) that attach to a pollen sac (pollinium). When the moth departs, the pollen sac also departs and takes up a position directly in front of the moth's head. When the moth next visits a flower, pollen falls on the stigma. The result is an orchid seed capsule that can contain up to 20,000 tiny seeds (3.5 microns length). Moths have been found with up to 8 pollinaria attached to a compound eye. (Video by Kristina Fox, NDSU Master's student.)