Nick Garbutt / Flower of locally endemic Rafflesia (Rafflesia tengku-adlinii) flower diameter 22cm blooming on forest floor within lowland Dipterocarp rainforest, Maliau Basin, Sabah's 'Lost World', Borneo

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in flower, France, Queyras Natural Park, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Broomrape (Cistanche phelypaea) in flower, killing its host Glasswort (Salicornia sp) Huelva, Andalucia, Spain, April 2009

Ingo Arndt / Rafflesia (Rafflesia arnoldii) flower, is the largest flower in the world, fresh open first day, highlands, Malaysian Peninsula

Nick Garbutt / Rafflesia (Rafflesia keithii) flower aged approximately 3 days on rainforest floor. Lower slopes of Mt Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia.

Heather Angel / Parasitic wasp (Gasteruption assectator) nectaring on Common rue (Ruta graveolens). Surrey, England, UK. July.

Heather Angel / Bumblebee scarab beetles (Pygopleurus humeralis) feeding on Phelypaea flower (Phelypaea coccinea). Flower has marks that mimic beetle elytra wings to attract pollinators. Plant parasitic on Tanacetum...

Heather Angel / Chalcid wasp (Gasteruption jaculator) nectaring on Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) cultivar, picking up pollen on legs and head. Long ovipositor used to lays eggs inside solitary bee nests. In garden, S...

Konrad Wothe / Fly (Gymnosoma rotundatum) Bavaria, Germany. June.

Philippe Clement / Parasite fly / tachinid fly (Tachina fera) feeding on nectar from Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) in summer, France. August.

Bruno D'Amicis / Ghost orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) detail in old-growth beech forest. Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park / Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise UNESCO World Heritage Site Italy. July

Mike Read / Wildflowers growing in puszta grassland with Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) near Tiszaalpar, Kiskunsag National Park, Hungary, June 2017

Mike Read / Wildflowers growing in puszta grassland with Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) near Tiszaalpar, Kiskunsag National Park, Hungary, June 2017

Adrian Davies / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria), parasitic on hazel (Corylus avellana) tree roots, ancient woodland indicator species. Surrey, England, UK. April.

Colin Varndell / Birdsnest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in flower, Dorset, UK May.

Kim Taylor / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in bud, Appenines, Italy, May.

Rod Williams / Ichneumon wasp (Ichneumon suspiciosus) Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, London, England, UK. July.

Steve Downer / Close-up of an Ichneumon wasp (Amblyteles armatorius) cleaning its antennae on a fuchsia flower, Birmingham, England, UK, September.

Steve Downer / Close-up of an Ichneumon wasp (Amblyteles armatorius) cleaning its antennae on a fuchsia flower, Birmingham, England, UK, September.

Steve Downer / Ichneumon wasp (Amblyteles armatorius) cleaning its antennae on a fuchsia flower, Birmingham, England, UK, September.

Steve Downer / Close-up of an Ichneumon wasp (Amblyteles armatorius) cleaning its antennae on a fuchsia flower, Birmingham, England, UK, September.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Thistle broomrape (Orobanche reticulata) a species parasitic upon various thistles and related plants. Preci, Umbria, Italy, June

Paul Harcourt Davies / Branched broomrape (Orobanche ramosa) parasitic plant, Preci, Umbria, Italy. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Thyme broomrape (Orobanche alba) parasitising common thyme ( Thymus vulgaris) near Santa Stefano in Sassania, Abruzzo, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Thyme broomrape (Orobanche alba) parasitising common thyme ( Thymus vulgaris) near Santa Stefano in Sassania, Abruzzo, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Slender broomrape (Orobanche gracilis) a plant parasitic upon legumes and characterised by shiny dark red within the flower. Precis. Umbria. Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Thyme broomrape (Orobanche alba) parasitising common thyme ( Thymus vulgaris) near Santa Stefano in Sassania, Abruzzo, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Yellow bird's nest (Monotropa hypopitys) growing in pine needles. This plant is parasitic upon fungi. Forca D'Ancarano, Norcia, Umbria, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Yellow bird's nest / Dutchman's pipe (Monotropa hypopitys) flowers growing in pine needles. Parasitic plant on fungi. Forca D'Ancarano, Norcia, Umbria, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Yellow bird's nest / Dutchman's pipe (Monotropa hypopitys) flower growing in pine needles. This species is parasitic on fungi. Forca D'Ancarano, Norcia, Umbria, Italy. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Ghost Orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) very rare and sporadic species growing under beechwood at 1300m, Mt Sirente, near L'Aquila, Abruzzo. Italy. July 2013.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Ghost Orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) Mount Sirente, near L'Aquila, Abruzzo. Italy. July 2013.

Martin Gabriel / Yellow broomrape (Cistanche phelypaea), a plant parasiting on Atriplex, flowering, Sultanate of Oman, January.

Kim Taylor / Parasite fly (Tachina fera) on Eryngium. Surrey, England, UK, August.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Birds nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), Wörth am Rhein, Pfalz, Germany. June. Meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), Wörth am Rhein, Pfalz, Germany. June. Meetyourneighbours.net project

Andy Sands / Birds nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) flower growing in deep shade under Beech trees, Bedfordshire, England, UK, June

Andy Sands / Birds nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) Close up of individual flower, Bedfordshire, Englkand, UK, June, Focus Stacked Image

Andy Sands / Braconid (Agathidinae sp.) ovipositing into Fleabane seedhead, Oxfordshire, England, UK, September

Andy Sands / Chrysid wasp (Chrysis ignita) parasitic cuckoo wasp on Corn marigold flower, Hertfordshire, England, UK, July

Andy Sands / Conopid fly (Sicus ferrugineus) parasitic fly whose larvae are endoparasites on various species of Bumblebee, Oxfordshire, England, UK, June

Floris van Breugel / Cooper's broomrape (Orobanche cooperi) emerges from the sand. The broomrape is a parasite and has no leaves. Death Valley, California, USA. March.

Nick Upton / Parasite fly / Tachinid fly (Zophomyia temula), a nationally scarce species, feeding on Common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) on grassland meadow cleared of scrub to improve the habitat for bees and...

Rod Williams / Tachinid fly (Tachina fera) Feeding on ragwort Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, London September

Rod Williams / Tachinid fly (Nowickia ferox) grooming on wild marjoram, Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, London August

Rod Williams / Parasitic Fly (Phania funesta) Tachinidae On field bindweed Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, UK. August

Rod Williams / Parasitic fly (Eriothrix rufomaculata) on Tansy (Tanacetum) Brockley, Lewisham, London, UK. July.

Andy Sands / Tachnid fly (Phasia hemiptera) male feeding on flower of wild parsnip (pastinaca sativa), Oxfordshire, England, UK, August

Andy Sands / Tachnid fly (Phasia hemiptera) male feeding on flower of wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), Oxfordshire, England, UK, August

Stephen Dalton / Fly (Alophora hemiptera) Sussex, UK

Nick Upton / Parasite fly / Tachinid fly (Tachina fera) a parasite of noctuid moths, feeding on Ragwort flowers (Senecio jacobaea) in a woodland clearing, GWT Lower Woods reserve, Gloucestershire, UK, September.

Rod Williams / Parasitic fly (Eriothrix rufomaculata) on Tansy flower, Brockley, Lewisham, London, England, August.

Rod Williams / Parasitic fly (Eriothrix rufomaculata) on tansy flower, Brockley, Lewisham, London, England, August.

Rod Williams / Female Tachinid fly (Cistogaster globosa) on Tansy flower, Brockley, Lewisham, London, England, August.

Alex Hyde / Yellow Broomrape (Orobanche flava) in flower, parasitic plant, Julian Alps, Slovenia. July.

Jeff Vanuga / Snow flower (Sarcodes sanguinea) a parasitic plant, Mariposa Grove, Sequoia trees, Yosemite Natioanal Park, California, USA, May.

Claudio Contreras / Lacandonia (Lacandonia schismatica) parasitic flower, with inverted sex organs, Lacandon Rainforest, Mexico, May. Endangered and endemic species.

Mike Read / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) near the Col du Rousset, Vercors Regional Natural Park, Vercors, France, June.

Robert Thompson / Ichneumon wasp (Ambyteles armatorius) searching for caterpillars, Montiaghs Moss NNR, Aghalee, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, July.

Chien Lee / Rhizanthes (Rhizanthes lowii) flower, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Rhizanthes (Rhizanthes lowii) flower, Malaysia

Nick Upton / Common toothwort (Lathraea squamaria), a parasite of Hazel (Corylus), flowering in woodland, Bath and Northeast Somerset, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Common toothwort (Lathraea squamaria), a parasite of Hazel (Corylus), flowering in woodland, Bath and Northeast Somerset, UK, April.

Nick Upton / Low wide angle view of Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) flowering on boggy moorland ground, partially parasitic on the roots of nearby plants, Bodmin moor, Cornwall, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) flowering on boggy moorland ground, partially parasitic on the roots of nearby plants, Bodmin moor, Cornwall, UK, May.

Jussi Murtosaari / Flies (Brachycera) on leaf, Parikkala, Etela-Karjala / South Karelia, Etela-Suomi / South Finland, Finland. June

Jussi Murtosaari / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria) a parasitic plant, Jomala, Ahvenanmaa / Aland Islands Archipelago, Finland. May

Chris Mattison / Snow plant (Sarcodes sanguinea) parasitic plant which grows in conifer forests. Sierra Nevada, California, USA, June..

Adrian Davies / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria). Parasitic on Hazel. Surrey, England, April.

Adrian Davies / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria) Parasitic on Hazel (Corylus) Surrey, England, April.

Adrian Davies / Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria). Parasitic on Hazel (Corylus) Surrey, England, April.

Phil Savoie / Forest cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus sylvestris) male in flight towards flowers (Brachyglottis). This species is parasitic in Early bumblebee nests. Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, June.

Phil Savoie / Forest cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus sylvestris) male feeding on flowers (Brachyglottis). This species is parasitic in Early bumblebee nests. Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bellardia (Bellardia trixago) in flower, semi-parasitic annual flower, Ferla, Sicily, Italy, April.

Stephen Dalton / Tachinid fly (Alophora hemiptera) parasitic species. Sussex, England, UK, August.

Stephen Dalton / Tachinid fly (Alophora) Sussex, England, UK, August.

Dong Lei / Parasitic flower (Pedicularis sp) growing at high altidude, Shiqu county, Sichuan Province, China, August.

Chien Lee / Rafflesia (Rafflesia keithii) pair flowering, largest flower in the world, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Chien Lee / Rafflesia (Rafflesia keithii) pair flowering, largest flower in the world, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Bellardia (Bellardia trixago) semi-parasitic annual in flower near Ferla, Sicily. May. Meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Bellardia (Bellardia trixago) semi-parasitic annual in flower near Ferla, Sicily. May. Meetyourneighbours.net project

Juergen Freund / Rafflesia flower (Rafflesia tuan-mudae) parasite on Tetrastigma vine. Sarawak, Borneo

Juergen Freund / Rafflesia flower (Rafflesia tuan-mudae) parasite on Tetrastigma vine. Sarawak, Borneo

Paul Harcourt Davies / Branched broomrape (Orobanche ramosa) in flower, near Plakias, Crete, April

Paul Harcourt Davies / Cytinus (Cytinus hypocistus) in flower, a species parasitic on the roots of various Cistus species. Akrotiri, Chania, Crete, April

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bean Broomrape (Orobanche crenata) in flower, near Plakias, Crete, May

Paul Harcourt Davies / Southern red bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia) in flower, a semi-parasitic on grasses, Gious Kambos, Spili, Crete, April

Chris Mattison / Flower of Hydnora (Hydnora africana) a rare plant parasitic on species of the genus Euphorbia. Cornellskop, Richtersveld, South Africa.

Nick Garbutt / Flower of locally endemic Rafflesia (Rafflesia tengku-adlinii) flower diameter 22cm blooming on forest floor within lowland Dipterocarp rainforest, Maliau Basin, Sabah's 'Lost World', Borneo

Nick Garbutt / Flower of locally endemic Rafflesia (Rafflesia tengku-adlinii), flower diameter 22cm, blooming amongst the tangled giant buttress roots of (Shorea sp) on forest floor within lowland Dipterocarp rainfo...

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Detail of Greater broomrape (Orobanche rapumgenistae) flower, Coombe Bissett Down, Wiltshire, UK, May

Piotr Naskrecki / One-flower Indian-pipe (Monotropa uniflora) flowers, Estabrook Woods, Massachusetts

Christian Ziegler / King Spider Orchid (Caladenia pectinata) flower swarmed by male parasitic wasps who interpret the flowerÆs red lip as female wasp, western Australia

Christian Ziegler / King Spider Orchid (Caladenia pectinata) flower being visited by male parasitic wasp which is attracted to the flower by faux female wasp pheromone, western Australia

Christian Ziegler / King Spider Orchid (Caladenia pectinata) being visited by male parasitic wasp pollinator which is attracted to the flower by faux female wasp pheromone, Australia

Christian Ziegler / Zebra Orchid (Caladenia cairnsiana) flower being pollinated by male parasitic wasp which is attracted to the flower by faux female wasp pheromone, western Australia