O. cretica was first described from Crete as O. spruneri f. cretica by Vierhapper in 1916 but was subsequently promoted to full species status by Nelson in 1962. It is a member of the O. reinholdii group of Ophrys and is a Greek endemic found in Crete, southern Peloponnese and rarely in the Saronic island of Aegina.

It is a very similar plant to O. ariadnae and on Crete, intermediate populations are well known. The two species do however possess only a limited overlap of range and enjoy different flowering times. In its typical form O. cretica exhibits a rounded stigmatic cavity which is broad and constricted at the distal end of the basal field, creating the appearance of a neck. In O. ariadnae, the stigmatic cavity is squarer and narrower but the basal field less constricted. A second less reliable distinguishing characteristic is the simpler and less extensive specular pattern in O. cretica which is often little more than an embellished, white edged H. The presence of the above mentioned transitional plants do however complicate conclusive identification and picture 3 is a potential example of this.

Flowering times vary with O. cretica, sometimes appearing up to a month later than its close relative. They both however bloom for lengthy periods and can be found flowering concurrently for a short time in a limited area of central Crete, though rarely side by side. O. ariadnae starts flowering as early as February and is normally over by mid April whereas O. cretica usually begins in mid March and can be in full flower through April. In eastern Crete a sub-species can be found, O. cretica ssp bicornuta, in which the lateral lobes have developed into impressive horn like appendages.

The pictures are from western Crete, dating from the first two weeks of April.