Any Ophrys Specialists?

[t5247rb]

Was wondering if any of these could be identified as something other than Ophrys Sphegodes. The photos were all taken at the end of March on Sicily.

Thank you,
Rob.

[Yann]

Seeing your photo very small on my smartphone, they look like exaltata.

[Karaba]

There are at least 2 species : #3 is O. incubacea

[Yann]

agree with Yvain, the rest are exaltata (typical thin yellow border on certain region). Where did you see them?

[ian mcdonald]

A good book on orchids is Collins Photo Guide Orchids Of Britain and Europe by Pierre Delforge. It contains 812 colour photos. All photos are good quality close ups with a description in depth and habitat type.

[Maggi Young]

In IRG 84, Gerrit Eijkelenboom writes about the flowers he and his wife Iep, encountered in Sicily  in May. Their focus is again mostly on the range of orchids to be seen.
IRG 84  - download it here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Dec291483029322IRG-84.pdf

[t5247rb]

agree with Yvain, the rest are exaltata (typical thin yellow border on certain region). Where did you see them?

The first, second and fourth pictures are from the Ficuzza area in Sicily. The third photo is from a spot near Piazza Amerina, again in Sicily.  It was growing with Ophrys Lutea.

[t5247rb]

In IRG 84, Gerrit Eijkelenboom writes about the flowers he and his wife Iep, encountered in Sicily  in May. Their focus is again mostly on the range of orchids to be seen.
(Attachment Link)

What a wonderful reference.  Now I'll have to go back to Sicily to scout out those areas (maybe a little later than late March)

[Karaba]

A good book on orchids is Collins Photo Guide Orchids Of Britain and Europe by Pierre Delforge. It contains 812 colour photos. All photos are good quality close ups with a description in depth and habitat type.

A good book but you must keep in mind that Pierre Delforge is a splitter and a lot of species are described with this point of view that every tiny difference leads to a new species.