Hybridises with : Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) to form Ophrys × albertiana

Some similarities to : Bee Orchid but that has yellow and purple markings on a much more bulbous brown 'body' and to Early Spider Orchid which has much shorter sepals in relation to the size of the 'spider' which is bulbous, as spiders are. Late Spider Orchid has mauve-coloured sepals and a different shaped 'body', as does Bertoli's Mirror Orchid.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature :

No relation to : Fly Honeysuckle [a plant with similar name].

Var. ochroleuca is a distinct variety with differing shape and colour where the sepals are a greyish-green, and the main part of the flower pale green apart from a white 'head' (speculum). This form has a longer and narrower 'body'.

Habitat: Grows at the edges of woods, on grassy places, on scub and on fens, mainly alkaline soils, and is absent North of Sunderland. Present day populations exist in Anglesey and in the Thames valley catchment area and North Downs.

Nominally shaped like a 'fly' it secretes sex pheromones which attract the male Digger Wasp, which as they attempt to copulate with the flower get their heads covered in pollinia. Other visited Fly Orchids are thus pollinated by so contaminated wasps. The male Digger Wasps desist trying to mate with the Fly Orchid once the female Digger Wasps emerge two weeks later.

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