Editing Ophrys apifera (section)

== Conservation ==

=== Ecological concerns ===
There are local extinctions of ''Ophrys spp''. and potentially ''O. apifera'' in Turkey and Iran due to the excessive harvesting of wild orchids to produce salep products.<ref name="Kasparek-199" />

Since ''O. apifera'' relies heavily on its symbiotic relationship with ''Tulasnella'' fungi for survival, it is vulnerable to any chemicals, particularly fungicides, and threats which might reduce the fungi's prevalence.<ref name="Addam-2015" />

=== Species status ===
Protected species status in Northern Ireland.<ref>Jackson, M. W., FitzPatrick, U., Cole, E., Jebb, M., McFerran, D., Sheehy Skeffington, M., & Wright, M. (2016). Ireland Red List No. 10: Vascular Plants. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs, Dublin, Ireland.</ref>

Endangered (EN) species status in Turkey, Ukraine, and Carpathian Mountains.<ref name="Osiadacz-2014">Osiadacz, B. & Kreciala, M. (2014). Ophrys apifera Huds. (Orchidaceae), a new orchid species to the flora of Poland. Biodiversity Research and Conservation, 36, 11–16. {{doi|10.2478/biorc-2014-0027}}</ref><ref>Sandal Erzurumlu, G., Tuluhan Yilmaz, K., & Sogut, Z. (2017). A regional scale evaluation of conservation status of orchid species recorded in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. Turkish Journal of Agriculture– Food Science and Technology, 5(9), 996–1001. {{doi|10.24925/turjaf.v5i9.999-1001.1233}}</ref>

Critically Endangered (CR) species status in Czech Republic and Slovakia.<ref name="Osiadacz-2014" />

=== Laws/regulations ===
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) named ''O. apifera'' an endangered species that is potentially an object of trade, setting strict regulations on trade of salep products.<ref name="Osiadacz-2014" /> Turkey, Iran, Germany, the Netherlands, and Cyprus are all Parties to CITES and, in theory, must follow those regulations.

Turkey has banned the export of true salep (salep made from an orchid root).<ref name="Kasparek-199" />