The locations of the following two sites have not been widely broadcast yet, so I will not provide a grid reference or any giveaway information as to the exact locations. Suffice to say, they are both on roadside embankments, one in Somerset and one in Dorset. Both are home to rare hybrids of the Fly Orchid.

North of Yeovil 18th May 2018

This is one of the few locations in the South-west that is home to the Fly x Bee Orchid hybrid. The small number of plants grow on the embankment in a localised area. All are said to have the Fly Orchid as the maternal parent even though there is some variety in appearance. Neither of the parents are available for comment, but during the whole week, despite hunting in various locations no Bee Orchids seem to be in flower yet.
The flowers are very distinctive with comparatively large sepals. Are they fertile and will they have progeny, between themselves or the parent species; or will the colony just peter out?

Fact: This hybrid is the only UK orchid to have an airline named after it.

South of Yeovil 18th May 2018

A larger site, a much higher and steeper embankment, and right above a busy fast road. This is the home of the Fly x Woodcock Orchid hybrids. Ophrys scolopax is not a UK species, so how these came to be has lead to much speculation. Yes, other Mediterranean species have been recorded in Dorset (the Sawfly Orchid at Durleston first recorded in 2013 had a no showing this year and may have run its course), but these are increasingly looking like deliberate introductions. No Woodcock Orchid has been found at the site, so the mystery deepens a bit. Perhaps the best place for background information is Orchis Summer by Jon Dunn, where several possibilities are explored. I was a bit concerned that they looked a bit too similar to the Fly x Bee hybrids, but referring to other photos I do have the right ID. Similarity would be likely, sharing one parent and the others being reasonably closely related species.

The Fly Orchid is in flower here, and was found first, higher up on the slope (the hybrids seemed to be confined to a small area roughly in the middle). One Fly flower is preferring to open upside-down.

After these successes it comes as no surprise that a string of failure would redress the balance. We had searched the Longmoor Plantations near Street in Somerset for White Helleborines. Harrap recommends the location, but having seen some subsequently it is likely that they were still small, in bud and not very obvious. There were no Bee Orchids to be seen at the Radipole Lake RSPB reserve in Weymouth, yet alone the `brown bee' variant. This was despite being shown where they roughly flowered last year. A search of the Broadcroft reserve on Portland also drew a blank for Bee Orchids. Years ago I had noted Southern Marsh Orchids rather obvious along the roadsides on the Purbeck Heath near Arne (my notes from the time say "D praetissima on roadside in large numbers, from outside Ridge towards Arne and along Middlebere road"), and along the road between Studland and the Sandbanks ferry - nothing. A walk across the dune system at Studland to the end of he Little Sea revealed not a single orchid. This is not surprising for the vast amount of gorse and heather choking everything else out. We did have a minor success though.

Stoborough Heath 20th May 2018 (SY 96106 85709)

Stopping the car to look for possible Southern Marsh Orchids where a line of roadside rushes indicates a damper bit of ground, we come across a small colony of typical Green-winged Orchids in the well nibbled grass beyond the rushes. Nothing to write home about, but a change of luck!

Having completed the sites listed to visit in Somerset and Dorset it is a drive across the south of England, taking in a couple of well known sites on the way.

Chappett's Close 21st May 2018 (SU 65405 23147)

On social media I describes Chappett's Close as a Sword-leaved Wonderland. It truly is and if in Hampshire around this time of year it is not to be missed. It is said to be home to the largest colony of Sword-leaved Helleborines in the UK. Yet they seem to concentrated in one area almost in the centre of the woods. Here it may be impossible to photograph one plant without getting lots more in the background. The only downside was that I was so excited that I forgot to take into account the lowish light levels when taking photos, so these are not as good as they should be.

That species' cousin, the White Helleborine also grows here, but we noticed elsewhere that this is flowering a bit later, and I have only one photo of one in flower. Generally a bit shorter, creamier flowers, and longer bracts distinguish this species. With both growing together it is no surprise that White x Sword-leaved helleborine hybrids occur here. I am no expert, but going by other accounts they are the tallest plants, a good head and shoulders taller than the rest. There were a few of these to be seen, with broader leaves and bracts to boot!

  
One White Helleborines and four putative hybrids

The Helleborines are not the only orchids here. Look around and you will find Bird's-nest Orchids and Fly Orchids. In fact the latter even have a little nursery dedicated to them.

Castle Hill, 21st May 2018 (TQ 36748 07371)

This site was pencilled in for our excursion down south May 2016, but was struck off when I injured my foot. It certainly is quite a way from the carpark to the entrance to the reserve; not for me on crutches. And then it was the same distance again before we came upon some of the Early Spider Orchids. The reserve covers a large area and I had no leads or directions to follow. However it was a whole lot more satisfying walking the paths, combing likely areas, and then discovering the orchids from our own efforts. Harrap claims up to 50,000 ESOs grow here, so I reckon we saw just 0.1% of them, but that was enough. The all look relatively uniform, and no suggestions of any colour variants seen. Obviously it was late in the season for them, and virtually all were down to the top flower on the stem. This was emphasised by the first Common Spotted Orchid of the season in flower.

Yockletts Bank, 22nd May 2018  (TR 12412 47802)

I had hoped to see something different on a return visit here, but am largely disappointed that I don't. It is still nice to see such a range of orchids in what is a small area, but in retrospect I should have tried the north side as well - last time that yielded little, but we didn't venture too far in.
The stars of the show here are the Lady Orchids and the Fly Orchids. Being under a woodland canopy I used flash to some extent and this does give the photos a new perspective, with loads of contrast. Note how thin and spindly the Fly Orchids are - seemingly very fragile! Love the little coloured papillae on the lips of the Lady Orchids.

Several other species are present. Common Twayblades never stand out, but look around and they are seemingly everywhere - photobombing your pictures! A few White Helleborines can be found, but the flowers are only in bud, while deeper in the woods we find Early Purple Orchids, just about finishing, but in quite a pale colouring. And are those Broad-leaved Helleborines just coming through?

Bonsai Bank in Denge Woods 22nd May 2018 (TR 10703 51242)

Another orchid location left off the 2016 site itinerary due to the walk from the road to the gate, but now we have been it was well worth the wait. Bonsai Bank is awash with Lady Orchids of all shapes and shades. The vegetation has obviously been well cut back to expose them, but will probably be allowed to grow back a bit. The colour of the sepals range from deepest purple to pale pink, through shades of burgundy and claret - no all-white flowers found though. The Ladys themselves are wearing skirts, petticoats, leggings and female fashions from all ages. Most seem shy; they wear their hoods down over their faces. But where does this diversity of form come from? At Hartslock we can see that they easily hybridise with Monkey Orchids, and on the continent hybrids with Military Orchids are not uncommon. So is all the variation the result of past hybridisation and introgression? Possibly as far as I am concerned.

Most people coming here are looking for the Lady Orchids, but there are others to see. The White Helleborines are only just flowering, whilst the Greater Butterfly Orchids and Common Spotted Orchids are still in tight bud. The Common Twayblades are out, while the Early Purples are on their last legs as would be expected.

Samphire Hoe 22nd May 2018 (TR 29670 39357)

Another visit here and once again we are probably two weeks too late to see the Early Spider Orchids in their prime, despite the recent cold weather which could have delayed flowering. I really want to see the colour variants, but seem destined to not! Actually there was one flower that appears to largely lack colour (the last one below), but it is so far gone that one can not claim it - damn! Actually looking at the photos there is remarkably little variation in the flowers, even down to the blazon on the lip. There are some nice tall and elegant specimens to be found though, a delight to see. The Common Spotted Orchids here have also started to flower.

Near Folkestone, 22nd May 2018

No location coordinates for this site. Though it seems to be increasingly well known it does not need more publicity. Two years ago not only were smaller plants being crushed by visitors, but some of the Late Spider Orchids had been dug up. No surprise then that it is now protected by an electric fence, which is definitely plugged in! Just one Early Spider is outside the fence for photos; you need a good zoom and tripod to snap the others and the Man Orchids. In retrospect, we should have spent more time at Yockletts Bank and have ditched this site.

Darland Banks, 24th May 2018 (TQ 78625 65941)

A site recommended by all for the Man Orchids growing here. No other species to be seen but the Mans make up for that. Some have some nice deep magenta `limbs' and `helmet decorations', while others have virtually none. Same the site doubles as a dogs toilet. Watch your step!

Ranscombe Farm, 24th May 2018 (TQ 71674 67405)

We didn't really do justice to Ranscombe, but not only were we running late on the way home to North Wales, but also it covers a massive area and I had been told where the best orchid spots were - at the furthest reaches. So we confined ourselves to the Man Orchids growing near the car park area and the woods below the railway. There we found Lady Orchids in a recently cleared clearing, but none of the Fly Orchids said to be nearby. However we came across one White Helleborine there, and then more and more as we meandered back up to the footbridge.