# Sawfly Orchid

*Ophrys tenthredinifera*

The name is a misnomer; while it looks like a sawfly, it actually mimics the scent and shape of female Gorytes wasps to trick males into pollinating it.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Asparagales › Orchidaceae › Ophrys
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Mediterranean meadows, garrigue, and open woodlands on calcareous soil.
- **Diet:** Photosynthetic, supplemented by symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi.
- **Range:** Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, North Africa
- **Size:** 10 to 45 cm in height
- **Lifespan:** Perennial (10+ years via tuber regeneration)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Urban development, agricultural intensification, and illegal harvesting by collectors.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. Do not pick or trample the flowers, as orchids have fragile root systems and specific fungal requirements. Observe from a distance to avoid soil compaction around the tubers.

## About

Ophrys tenthredinifera , the sawfly orchid, is a terrestrial species of orchid native to the Mediterranean region from Portugal and Morocco to Turkey. The common name refers to a purported resemblance between the flower and the sawfly, a wasp-like insect.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/b3366230-e8c5-4803-a2ab-15a52bb6a030
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/59335
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophrys tenthredinifera
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/396213504/medium.jpg (Léo Souillard, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.