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wa-orchids.bsky.social
WA Orchids
@wa-orchids.bsky.social
1.6K followers 260 following 650 posts
Exploring Western Australia’s native #orchids, flora, fungi, & biodiversity 🌿🪷🪻🍄. Was on X as @wa_orchids

Also posting #ausinverts, #insects & #moths at Aussie Moths
(@wa-moths.bsky.social) 🐛🪰🐞🕷️🪲🦟🦗

📍 Perth, WA (Whadjuk Noongar Boodja)
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wa-orchids.bsky.social
Diuris laxiflora - the Bee Orchid

A relatively small orchid, the Bee orchid is endemic to Western Australia and flowers between September and early November.

#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #nature #bloomscrolling
An orchid with the three bright yellow flowers with brownish purple markings
November 11, 2025 at 7:30 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Any #pollinator visiting this Triggerplant will have far more to worry about than just being unexpectedly daubed with the plant’s pollen 🕷️

This Milky Flower Spider (Zygometis xanthogaster) is hoping for a tasty morsel

#ausinverts #ozflora #wildoz #spider #arachnid #inaturalist #nature
A spider that is generally white with brown patterns on its abdomen hangs upside down underneath a small pink flower
November 10, 2025 at 8:30 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Paracaleana nigrita - Flying Duck Orchid

One of the more common of the Duck Orchids to be found in Western Australia. These curious looking orchid flowers can be seen between August & October
#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist #nature
Picture of three reddish green orchid flowers that resemble the shape of a duck
November 10, 2025 at 6:11 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Caladenia plicata - the Crab-lipped Spider orchid

Found in the forests of southwest Western Australia, this orchid has a very distinctive labellum with long fringing at the sides
#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #natuveplants #inaturalist #nature
An orchid flower that is a mix of red, yellow, and pale green. The orchid has a labellum with long, spreading fringes
November 9, 2025 at 5:50 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Caladenia attingens - the Forest Mantis orchid

Relatively common in the southwest of Western Australia, this orchid is quite distinctive with its broad labellum and upswept lateral sepals
#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist #nature
Side view of an orchid that is mainly green with some red. The orchid holds its lateral (bottom) sepals in an upswept nnner
November 9, 2025 at 1:52 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Schrödinger's mouse?? 🐭🌿🌱

Currently there are four Australian species, plants & animals, listed as nationally extinct despite them all being recently rediscovered… which means these species get no protection under our environmental laws
#auswildlife #wildoz #nature

www.abc.net.au/news/science...
This tiny native mouse is legally considered both dead and alive
Animals and plants aren't automatically taken off most national and state extinct species list in Australia if they are rediscovered, leaving them without protection as threatened species.
www.abc.net.au
November 8, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Reposted by WA Orchids
helenrobertson.bsky.social
Arthur Pieman Conservation Area was an orchid wonderland last weekend!
The greeny yellow Caladenia transitoria The very tiny pink Caladenia pusilla Hard to see easily as it is only half open red and white Burnettia cuneata which comes after fire. Always cheerful mauve Glossodia major
November 6, 2025 at 3:52 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Caladenia discoidea - Dancing Spider Orchid

Flowering between August and early October, the botanical name of this orchid reflects its characteristic rounder, broader labellum - discoidea, from the Latin discoideus, meaning disc shaped
#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist
Picture showing an orchid flower from the side. The orchid has relatively short petals and sepals with a labellum that is quite large with long side fringes and compact calli in the centre
November 5, 2025 at 12:46 PM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Caladenia footeana - the Crimson Spider Orchid

A small but brightly coloured orchid endemic to Western Australia, the Crimson Spider Orchid flowers between July and October
#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist
Picture of an orchid flower that has petals and sepals that are mainly bright red in colour. The orchid's labellum is a contrasting white with red stripes and red calli in the middle
November 5, 2025 at 12:27 PM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
There are Sun Orchids (Thelymitra sp.) still flowering in the Perth Hills and the Hover flies were loving them today 💙🪰

#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #ausinverts #diptera #pollinators #nature
Picture of an orchid with two blue flowers that are open and several buds that are still closed at the top of the stem. To the right of the flower a Hover fly can seen in flight in mid-air
November 4, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Reposted by WA Orchids
lost-in-botany.bsky.social
Tiny little predatory plants! Gotta love the tiny Bryastrum group of Droseras! This one here is #Drosera spilos a tiny one notable for its red markings at the base of their petals!
November 3, 2025 at 10:31 PM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
The storm clouds are building in the Perth Hills ☁️🌩️🌧️

#weather #storm #clouds #photography #WesternAustralia
Photo of dark clouds building over a tree covered valley and over to the hills beyond
November 4, 2025 at 6:48 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Stylidium utricularioides - the Pink Fan Triggerplant

One of the triggerplants endemic to Western Australia, this distinctive species grows in winter wet areas and flowers in late spring through to early summer

#ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist #nature
Close up picture of a triggerplant flower in pink and white. The top two petals are smaller than the two bottom petals which are broadly rounded at their tips Picture of a triggerplant with numerous flowers in pink and white. The top two petals of each flower are smaller than the two bottom petals, which are broadly rounded at their tips
November 4, 2025 at 4:06 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Caladenia barbarossa - the Common Dragon Orchid

An orchid that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia where it is quite widespread. This is an orchid that engages in sexual deception of its unsuspecting pollinators, male Thynnid wasps
#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist
Picture of an unusually shaped orchid that is green and red in colour. The sepals of the orchid are held out almost like legs and the labellum appears quite wooly
November 3, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Reposted by WA Orchids
biodivlibrary.bsky.social
Meet the Numbat, Australia's only truly diurnal marsupial. This beautiful #SciArt is from John Gould's "Mammals of Australia" (1863): "with its beautiful tail spread out to the full extent, it offers a great resemblance to the Squirrels". doi.org/10.5962/p.31... #InternationalNumbatDay #ILoveBHL 🧪
An historic illustration of a group of 5 numbats (black, orange and white striped marsupials with long bushy tails).
November 1, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Reposted by WA Orchids
nomad-notmad.bsky.social
Petyan – season of wildflowers
Also known as "spring" in Europe.

This is a bird orchid, Chiloglottis valida

#flowers #orchids
Two thick, oval shaped leaves with a purple flower with blackish, column-like calli on the labellum. The background is typical forest floor debris such as gum leaves, fern fronds and twigs.
October 31, 2025 at 8:50 PM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Stylidium eriopodum - commonly called the Boomerang Triggerplant

Like all Triggerplants, this plant has a floral column on a sensitive trigger which reacts to the flower being touched and coats any visiting #pollinators in pollen. Endemic to WA

#ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist #nature
Photo of a plant covered in small yellow flowers with a red band in the middle. The top two petals are shaped like boomerangs Photo of a small yellow flower with a red band in the middle and white centre. The top two petals are shaped like boomerangs
October 29, 2025 at 10:15 PM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Verticordia huegelii - Variegated Featherflower

Part of the Myrtle family, the delicate feathery flowers of this Verticordia start out white, becoming pink and then red as they age giving a variegated appearance
#ozflora #wildoz #myrtle #nativeplants #inaturalist #nature
Picture of a cluster of feathery flowers in white and very pale pink Close up o icture of a cluster of feathery flowers in white and very pale pink Picture of a cluster of feathery flowers, some in white and some a dark pink Picture of a cluster of feathery flowers most of which are a deep pinky red in colour
October 29, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by WA Orchids
johnjennings.bsky.social
Purple beard orchid south of Bahgallah, Victoria.
October 24, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by WA Orchids
silverdory.bsky.social
Onion orchids (Microtis sp.) near the Genoa River, VIC. Probably Microtis parviflora - slender onion orchid - although several other similar species occur nearby + some hybrids occur. Flowers are very small (2mm x 2mm) and not as colourful as other local orchids but are still interesting! #orchids
Onion orchids (Microtis sp.) near the Genoa River, VIC.
October 28, 2025 at 10:20 PM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
Drakaea livida - the Warty Hammer Orchid

Seen at the end of September in the Perth Hills. This orchid is pollinated by the males of one species of Thynnid wasp who mistake the orchid’s unusual labellum for a flightless female wasp

#orchids #ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #inaturalist #nature
Side view of an unusually shaped orchid with a hinged labellum of a deep purple/red colour on the right of the picture
October 28, 2025 at 10:11 PM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
While the flowers of Fringe Lilies (Thysanotus sp.) are usually a beautiful deep purple colour, occasionally you can spot a Fringe Lily with flowers in other stunning colours 💜🤍🩶🩷

These were flowering today in the Perth Hills
#ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #bloomsrolling #nature #inaturalist
A Fringe Lily flower in the usual deep purple colour A Fringe Lily flower which is snow White in colour A Fringe Lily flower which is silver grey in colour A Fringe Lily flower which is pale pink in colour
October 28, 2025 at 10:50 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
💜💜 It’s very hard not to fall in love with the gorgeous Fringe Lily (Thysanotus sp.)

There are around 54 species of Fringe Lily, most being endemic to Australia and especially the biodiversity hotspot of Western Australia

#ozflora #wildoz #nativeplants #bloomscrolling #inaturalist
Picture of two deep purple Fringe Lily flowers, each with three delicately fringed petals Picture of a deep purple Fringe Lily flower, with three delicately fringed petals and offset purple sepals
October 28, 2025 at 6:38 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
A little gathering of Silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) thoroughly enjoying the garden bird bath in the Perth Hills.

As the weather warms, please leave safe water sources out for the wildlife in your garden… they’ll really thank you for it!
#ausbirds #wildoz #birds
October 27, 2025 at 6:25 AM
wa-orchids.bsky.social
From a quick wander along the Bibbulmun Track, near Mundaring in the Perth Hills.

🌱 Cowslip Orchids
🌿 Stylidium recurvum
🍄‍🟫 Common Greensheild Lichen

#ozflora #orchids #lichen #wildoz #spring #nativeplants
Picture of a walk trail through a wooded area with a yellow trail marker attached to the trunk of a tree in the foreground Two lemon yellow cowslip orchids side by side Closeup picture of a small, mainly pink, flower with a yellow centre. The flower carries its pollen on a trigger which bands under the flower to the left A small, dead twig with a patch of green lichen
October 26, 2025 at 9:42 PM