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Questions and Answers: 2020

Question: I took this photo of a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on a purple fringed orchid. The question is, is it P. …

  • Question

    I took this photo of a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on a purple fringed orchid. The question is, is it P. psycodes or P. grandiflora? I saw several examples of this plant on the edge of the trail into Greeley Ponds in the WMNF in NH. All of them were 2 feet or less in height. Is there something I should look for in the future to discern P. psycodes from P. grandiflora?

    Answer

    Dear gdewolf, good afternoon. Based on the round orifice to the spur and the forward directed rostellum lobes, this looks like Platanthera grandiflora (greater purple-fringed bog-orchid). Beautiful image, thank you for sharing.