Jon Dunn

Dense-flowered Orchid (Neotinea maculata), Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Dense-flowered Orchid (Neotinea maculata), Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Been a busy day writing about #orchids*, and putting finishing touches on a *very* exciting new orchid tour I'll be leading for @mariposanature.bsky.social next year...

*Dense-flowered Orchid, as you ask. I'll be seeing you any day now, a personal, subtle favourite of the #OrchidsOfRhodes.

If ONLY someone had written a brilliant novel about fibs, hubris, and a Woodcock…

Are A.I.-Generated Videos Changing How We See Animals?

Enjoyed this interesting @nytimes.com piece on fake AI videos of animals being improbable. But really it isn't a new phenomenon. COME WITH ME BACK TO 1903. 🧵
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/m...

As ever, I can't wait to lead this wonderful orchid tour with my good pal @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social.

We take great pride in giving our guests the ultimate experience of the #OrchidsOfRhodes - as, indeed, we do on all our orchid tours. That the tour is almost full 2 years off speaks volumes.

Ophrys kotschyi, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Epipactis veratrifolia, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Orchis punctulata, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Good morning, and welcome to a new week.

Our featured tour is Orchids of Cyprus. The 2026 tour is almost over now, with over 30 species enjoyed by our group, some fine laughs had, and a donation heading to @bsbibotany.bsky.social.

You can join us there in 2027!

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...

Who's Stracey?!

8/3/26 #OrchidsOfCyprus - One of our invertebrate highlights from the last full day of our tour, an African Green Mantis (Sphrodomantis viridis) found by one of our guests @jelltex.bsky.social here on the Akamas peninsula. An absolutely awesome creature and our second mantis species at this site

Paphos Blue (Glaucopsyche paphos) and Anacamptis syriaca, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

If any image sums up what we love best here at Team Mariposa, it's this one from tour leader @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social today - a lovely, fresh Paphos Blue on Anacamptis syriaca, the sophisticated cousin of Green-winged Orchid. We can't think of any better thing for a butterfly to sit upon.

With two such accomplished naturalists as Dave Fairhurst & Richard Bate, our #OrchidsOfCyprus tour features #MuchMoreThanOrchids* - today we've already enjoyed fabulous Black Francolin, and Cyprus Warbler.

*though we're proud to be the first choice for orchid-hunting holidays 😊

Thanks, Rebecca! 🙏

Aw, bless your long velvety ears and soft muzzle. Surely not!

This is the BlueSky equivalent of one of those charity envelopes that lands on the doormat with a photo of a sad donkey* on it. I can't resist them.

*Not saying my mate Richard looks or runs like a sad donkey. But he's raising money for a great cause, so please do consider donating.

Orchis punctulata, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Epipactis veratrifolia, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Postcard from the field from our fabulous orchid tour leader, @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social, on our #OrchidsOfCyprus tour:

Yesterday's highlights included these two Asiatic #orchids, on the very edge of their world range - dramatic Epipactis veratrifolia, and Orchis punctulata. Exciting finds!

A selection of Ophrys candica flowers, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Another of my favourite #orchids in the kaleidoscopic range we see during the @mariposanature.bsky.social #OrchidsOfRhodes is Ophrys candica.

It's a really variable species, no two flowers ever quite the same. Every encounter is a lucky dip, one never knows what the next iteration will be.

Thank you, Beata 🙏

Ophrys iricolor, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Ophrys alasiatica, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Postcard just received from tour leader @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social in Cyprus:

Our #OrchidsOfCyprus group have seen two spectacular Asian species on the edge of their world range today. These two (Ophrys iricolor & endemic Ophrys alasiatica) aren't them - but what utter beauties they are!

Serapias carica tongue-orchid with a patient Laphria aurea robberfly resting upon it, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Inspired by my orchid tour co-leader @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social's fabulous orchid / insect predator image this morning, here's another for my countdown to #OrchidsOfRhodes - a robberfly waiting for an unwary bee to visit this Serapias carica tongue-orchid. What a beautiful way to go...

Ophrys mammosa with Empusa sp. mantid, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Postcard from the field from tour leader @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social, leading our #OrchidsOfCyprus tour:

#Orchids can be a trap* for the unwary. Pity the busy, busy bee that's attracted to this Ophrys mammosa; danger lurks in the form of an Empusa mantis.

*and seriously addictive for their admirers!

Orchis troodi © Dr Richard Bate

Ophrys lapethica © Dr Richard Bate

Postcard from the field from tour leader @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social, leading our Orchids of Cyprus group:

We've still got two full days ahead of us in which to enjoy Cyprus, and we're revelling in the glorious habitats and sheer orchid abundance and diversity to be found here.

#orchids

Same story with my grandmother too. The most incredible woman.

He's brilliant, isn't he? His memories of his relationship with his father resonating strongly here.

Naked Man Orchid (Orchis italica), Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn Just two places remain available on the 2028 Orchids of Rhodes tour...

Ophrys cretica ssp beloniae, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Our 2026 & 2027 #OrchidsOfRhodes tours are both fully booked, and have been for a long time now. The 2028 tour has just two places left available on it - it's the ultimate orchid-hunting holiday, 50+ taxa in a week, donation to
@bsbibotany.bsky.social, top craic.
mariposanature.com/tours/botani...

Wow - that’s intriguing!

Ophrys parvula, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Sometimes great things come in small packages. Ophrys parvula is one of the tiniest of the #OrchidsOfRhodes, a diminutive bee #orchid that hides in dry, stony, phrygana habitat. When fresh, their flowers have a silvery lustre - they're well worth a closer look.

Giant orchids found growing wild in UK for first time Range typically found in southern and central Europe is expanding north as climate warms

They're near Didcot, Ellie. It's become a bit of an open secret these days, so if you're back there at any point, just drop me a line...

There was a piece about their discovery in the Guardian that may be of interest:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Ophrys kotschyi, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Imagine going to Cyprus and not seeing the jewel in the Ophrys #orchid crown, Ophrys kotschyi...

Fortunately for our guests, that's the stuff of abstract nightmares only, for our brilliant guide @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social knows exactly where the best of them are to be seen.

#OrchidsOfCyprus

Thanks Rob. Something a little different. I do love all the waders.

Jon Dunn is seated in the library. Super Sheltie looks on. Jon holds his new book Butterflies

We were delighted to get a visit from @dunnjons.bsky.social today who presented SuperSheltie with a copy of his new book, Butterflies, for the library!
What a lovely new addition to the library for #WorldBookDay
Thank you Jon!

My absolute pleasure! It was lovely to hang out with Shetland’s foremost literary star, SuperSheltie. Turns out ponies love butterflies as well as sugar lumps 🐴 ❤️ 🦋

#mylovelyhorse #WorldBookDay

False Comma (Nymphalis vau-album) © Janos Olah

Puddling group of Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea) & Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis) © Clive Burrows

Tour update 🚨

As of this morning, our 2027 Summer Butterflies of Serbia tour now has just four places remaining available to book upon it. Naturally, like *all* our butterfly tours, it generates a donation to support the work of @europebutterfly.bsky.social.

mariposanature.com/tours/butter...