Ecology: Phil's photo - tutukiwi

Georgia May Jagger walking the runway at the Just Cavalli fashion show during Milan Fashion Week. Photo / Getty Images

This week, Phil snaps some of our native fauna - the Tutukiwi or greenhood orchid at Maungatautari Ecological Island.

"The tutukiwi or Greenhood orchid (Pterostylis banksii) is now in full flower and it has a unusual way of pollinating," says Phil.

Tucked away under the orchid's hood is a tongue-like protrusion called the irritable lip or labellum, which imprisons insects inside the flower, forcing it to pollinate.

"An insect hops onto this 'tongue' which flicks back and the insect falls to the bottom of the pouch," he says. Here, a small 'window' of light guides the pollinator up a skinny tunnel lined with hairs and gets covered first in a sticky liquid and secondly in a cloud of pollen which sticks to the glue-like substance.

For more information on Maungatautari Ecological Island visit their website or their facebook page.