Cyprus Bee Orchid (Ophrys kotschyi) Antifonitis monastery grounds, Valley northeast of Alevkaya, Kyrenia Hills, Northern Cyprus

---

They are called "Bee orchids" due to the flower resemblance to the bodies of bees. Orchids of the genus Ophrys use sexual deception to attract pollinators to their flowers (Schiestl 2005).

---

Size: 3401px × 5120px
Location: grounds of Antifonitis Monastery, Kyrenia Hills, Northern Cyprus, Turkey, Mediterranean, Europe
Photo credit: © Krystyna Szulecka Photography / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: alevkaya, antifonidis, bee, black, church, cyprus, europe, flower, flowers, green, kilisesi, kotschyi, krystyna, kyrenia, mediterranean, monastery, nature, north, northern, ophrys, orchid, orchidaceae, orchidoideae, plant, plants, pseudocopulation, purple, summer, szulecka, terrestrial, vertical, wild, wildflower, wildflowers