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Seems I skipped 2024 orchid season

It’s been a long hiatus between posts but life has taken on a more sedentary pace for me. Well perhaps sedentary isn’t the right word, maybe “tethered”. I discovered the inevitably obvious fact that money doesn’t last forever and after what, 10-11 years of randomly rambling wherever I felt like going, experiencing whatever next mission or adventure took my fancy, alas, the need to fuel those adventures as well as myself took priority. Continue Reading

Common helmet orchid

What is this craziness? Like a glowing ball of lava being revealed behind burgundy red serrated veils. Maybe I’m going a little far, Corybas recurvus or helmet orchid, a native to the south west of WA growing predominantly in moist environments, prefering leaf litter. Continue Reading

Albany pitcher plants

Cephalotus follicularis, or as it’s more commonly known, the Albany pitcher plant. A really unique plant and the only plant in the Cephalotaeaea family. Lucky for me, I’m living in Albany one of the only places you can find these little beauties. Check out the little baby pitcher just forming to the right of the large one above.

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Early orchids for 2024

Another orchid season in the south west of Western Australia starts to get underway for 2024 and two of the early orchids are the banded greenhood (Pterostylis vittata) and the winter spider orchid (Caladenia drummondii). Continue Reading

Nature and bits

Say g’day to Barry! Barry was just hanging around on this smooth lipped spider orchid (Caladenia integra) looking cool. I figured perhaps he was stuck, maybe on a spiders web. Continue Reading

orchid season 2023

Starting with a slightly biblical feel as Easter is almost upon us. Not that it means anything to me apart from the fact that I get paid a lot more to work and there are a lot more tourists in town. This selection of orchids are all from last season, 2023. Continue Reading

Ducks or aliens

 

These flying duck orchids are freaky things, they can look almost like aliens with their odd shapes. Insects seem to love them, check out the aphid on the stem of this one. You know how small aphids are? Now have a look for the tiny aphid nymph in the ‘crutch’ of the flower just a little higher up. Continue Reading

Dragons in the morning mist

Dragon orchids, Caladenia barbarossa, a widespread orchid around the south west of the state though they can be tricky to see because they’re not exactly huge nor very colourful. However, they are quite beautiful in the early morning smothered with dew drops amongst spring wildflower. Continue Reading

queen of sheba

The Queen of Sheba orchid, one of the most highly prized finds for those who have a penchant for orchid hunting, and for good reason with their striking colours and scarcity. These flowers above are all Thelymitra speciosa, the eastern queen of sheba variety.

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Sigmoid orchids

The sigmoid orchid, Caladenia sigmoidia is a tiny little orchid growing in what looks like very dry barren land under scattered salmon gums or amongst mallee scrub.  I spent many hours looking for these little guys out near Lake King unsuccessfully at first, until I realized just how tiny they are. Continue Reading