A recent working bee at the Jordan River Nature Reserve was a blooming success, with volunteers banding together to tackle plants like gorse, briar rose, and blackberry. It was a case of ‘many hands make light work’, and the reserve is looking a lot less prickly thanks to their efforts. But amidst the greenery, there lurked an unexpected intruder: the Disa bracteate, an invasive, introduced orchid.

Spotted by the sharp eyes of botanist Fiona Walsh, this nasty orchid poses a real potential problem to lowland native grassland communities. In response, The Derwent Catchment Project and Parks and Wildlife Service are taking steps to evict this floral enemy and develop a plan to keep it at bay. If you think you’ve spotted this orchid, report any sightings to mel.fazackerley@derwentcatchment.org.