It grows near winter-west swamps and usually only flowers after fire the previous summer.

[2][3][4][5] Eriochilus valens was first formally described in 2006 by Stephen Hopper and Andrew Brown from a specimen collected in the Bakers Junction Nature Reserve north of Albany and the description was published in Nuytsia.

[6] The specific epithet (valens) is a Latin word meaning "strong" or "vigorous",[7] referring to the large labellum of this orchid.

[4] The red-lipped bunny orchid grows in woodland and shrubland around winter-wet swamps, mainly between Walpole and Albany.

[3][4][5][8] Eriochilus valens is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.