European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

Ophrys bombyliflora is widespread and occurs in several locations in Europe. The existing threats for the species and the habitats are unlikely to cause the populations to decline severely in the near future. Therefore, Ophrys bombyliflora is assessed as Least Concern.

Ophrys bombyliflora is found throughout the Mediterranean except for the very easternmost regions. The species occurs up to Rhodes in the east, in western Anatolia, westwards up to the Canary Islands in the Atlantic and is very rare on Lesbos and Samos. This species is found from sea level to 900 m altitude (Pederson and Faurholdt 2007, Delforge 1995).

Ophrys bombyliflora is widespread, fairly common in the Mediterranean region and sometimes found in big populations. The trend of the populations remains unknown (Pederson and Faurholdt 2007, Delforge 1995).

Ophrys bombyliflora can be found in garrigue, roadside slopes, grassland, open forest and woodland, pesticide-free olive groves and moist meadows. It grows in alkaline dry to very wet, calcareous soil in full sunlight to light shade. The flowering time of the species takes place from February to May with a peak time in March-April (Pederson and Faurholdt 2007, Delforge 1995).

Ophrys bombyliflora is threatened by urbanisation, construction work, residential building and plant collection (Pederson and Faurholdt 2007).

The root is edible when cooked and is also a source of 'salep', a fine white to yellowish-white powder that is obtained by drying the tuber and grinding it into a powder. This salep is said to be very nutritious and is made into a drink or added to cereals and bread. Many Ophrys spp. are collected for their attractiveness (Plants For a Future 2010).

All orchid species are included under Annex B of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This orchid is listed as Vulnerable on the Croatian red list (Nikolić and Topić 2005). Recommended conservation measures for Ophrys bombyliflora are:

• Protection of the living individuals through legislation which bans the species from being picked or dug up.
• Protection of the localities through legal nature conservancy.
• Introducing informal and inexpensive management contracts with the owners of species localities.
• Moderate grazing or forestry, mowing or recurrent burning; to prevent the vegetation to become dominated by more robust and competitive species.
• Monitoring the existing populations and sites.
• Estimate the population size and study their dynamics (Pederson and Faurholdt 2007).