Barnard Castle’s Dick Warren has noticed the rare plants on the Lower Demesnes have been plucked from the grassy hill side in the past couple of years.
With two plants due to come into bloom in the next few weeks, he has renewed calls for dale folk to leave the protected species alone.
Dr Warren said: “These two in particular are rather fine specimens. I have noticed them appear during the past ten years and now they are a well established colony.
“There was a couple dug up last year – I think people see them and dig them up because they think they will look nice in their garden not knowing they’re a protected species.”
Many wild orchids are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 meaning uprooting or disturbing the plant can lead to fines.
But enforcing the act can prove difficult.
Dr Warren added: “This area does not look like it’s protected and I am very forgiving in that sense.
“However, I am going to collect the seeds this year – the more I can collect, the more I can sow in my laboratory in sterile conditions and use them on the Upper Demesnes.”
Despite producing millions of seeds in just one bud, orchids require very specific conditions to germinate.
They are rare in Teesdale, requiring a fungus to germinate them and often take a number of years to come to fruition.
For more information about orchids, go to the wildlifetrust.org.uk
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