The magnificent Corona de Rey (King's crown)

The warm weather during April and May means that the Pyrenees are already bursting with life and lots of species of wildflowers that I wouldn’t normally expect to see at this time of year are already flowering – these are all photos taken on my hikes over the last couple of weeks.

Saxifraga Longifolia are one of the specialities of the Pyrenees. Known locally as Corona del Rey (Kings Crown) they grow slowly on cliff faces for about 4 or 5 years before exploding into flower for just one season before dying. The flower stem can be up to 60 cm tall and is covered in small white flowers.

Spanish Moon Moth - a huge moth with a wingspan of almost 15cm

This Spanish Moon Moth was a fantastic find. It was the biggest moth I’ve ever seen with a wingspan approaching 15cm and had fantastic colours. They live in pine forests and are quite rare so it was a real privilege to see it.

Fly Orchid

Fly Orchids (ophyrs insectifera) are fascinating and highly specialised orchids. Each member of the Ophrys family is designed to be pollinated by a particular type of insect. The flower mimics the shape of the insect that it’s trying to attract and the plant even lets off a scent that imitates the smell of the pheremone of the female inscet. The males insects pollinate the orchid as they try to mate with the flower.

Oreja de Oso (Bear's Ear)

The Oreja de Oso or Bear’s Ear (Ramonda Myconi) is found only in the Pyrenees. It’s leaves resemble an african violet and the other species in this family grow mainly in the tropics.

It’s thought this species was established when the area was much hotter and then adapted as temperatures got cooler. It’s flowers are distinctive with a protuding yellow central stamen.

Elder Flowered Orchid

Elder flowered orchids (dactylorhiza sambucina) are the most numerous in the Pyrenees and in early summer the alpine meadows are covered in these orchids. They can be found with both purple and yellow flowers – both are the same species.

Scarce Swallowtail

The yellow swallowtail butterfly and the black and white scarce swallowtail are two of my favourites. Both are quite large and I’ve seen quite a few in flight already this summer. The peak of Punta del Pacino is a great place to see these butterflies and there always seem to be several pairs flying around the summit cairn.

The insect eating large flowered butterwort (pinguicula grandiflora)

The insect eating large flowered butterwort (pinguicula grandiflora)  is another fascinating wildflower. It’s lime green leaves are greasy to the touch and small insects get stuck to the leaves. A second enzyme then breaks down the insect whose nutrients are absorbed through hundreds of microscopic holes in the leaves.

These holes also dry the plant out so they are always found in damp places – particularly on continually wet rock faces. As the plant is topping up it’s nutrients with insects it can survive on very poor soil and rocks.

These are just some of the flowers currently out in the Pyrenees – it’s shaping up to be an excellent season for flowers. If your interested in flora our Lakes & Valleys walking holidays are ideal and visit some of the best alpine meadows in the area.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world and sells for more than $4000 a kilo. Production is hugely labour intensive with the delicate task of removal of the stamens only possible by hand. Good report on the BBC on how Spain is hoping this years saffron harvest will help boost employment for the troubled Spanish economy. Read the report.

Walking in the Valle de Ordiso

The walking season is in full swing here in the Pyrenees and we’ve had a couple of great walking holidays already this June with a Lakes & Valleys and a Discover Ordesa walking holidays. We’ve had some fantastic hikes visiting high alpine pastures, abandoned villages, the Ordesa and Anisclo canyons and some superb summits.

Walking up to the Ibon de Piedrafita

Walking near Bujaruelo on our Discover Ordesa walking holiday

The flowers have been superb and we’ve seen a dozen types of orchid including a couple of rare parasitical orchids – the birds nest orchid and violet limadore. Other orchids we’ve seen are bee orchids, woodcock orchids, fly orchids, elder flowered orchids, sword leaved helleborines, early purple orchids, marsh orchids, common orchids, pyramid orchids and dark vanilla orchids (and probably a couple of others that I’ve forgotten….).

The semi-parasitical violet limadore orchid

Bird lovers have not been disapointed either with the highlight being two lammergeier which landed about 100m away from us and then were joined by a juvenile as they soared off.

Thanks to all of our guests for making June a great month and we hope to see you again in the Pyrenees.

Looking up to Pena Telera and the cliffs of the Sierra de Partacua

The mountains of the Valle de Tena are looking beautiful and bursting into life. Spring gentians, trumpet gentians and elder flowered orchids are covering the sunnier meadows around Ibon de Piedrafita and above the village of Sandinies.

Trumpet Gentians in the Pyrenees

Wild cherry trees in blossom in the Pyrenees

Elder flowered orchids are the most common in the Pyrenees. These like the high meadows – particularly in the Valle de Tena around Formigal and Sallent de Gallego. Elder flowered orchids either have purple or yellow flowers – both types are the same species. A few early purple orchids are also out.

Elder flowered orchid (dactylorhiza sambucina) - common in the Pyrenees

Woodcock Orchid - Ophrys Scolopax

Ophyrs orchids attract male bees by imitating the shape, colour and scent of female bees. Each orchid is specialised to be pollinated by only one type of bee. Read an interesting article on the bbc today about bees cross pollinating different orchids creating hybrids.

We get several ophrys orchids in the Pyrenees. Woodcock orchid (above) and bee orchid are the most common. I’ve also seen insect and early spider orchids. You get more ophrys in the lower and drier regions – they seem to love the dry flysch either side of the Serrablo between Sabinanigo and Biescas.

Visit our Pyrenees flora gallery

Fly Orchid - ophrys insectifera