This week in the woods, we discovered (via a remote camera trap) a Virginia opossum trundling back and forth from a derelict shed. On each return trip, it was carrying leaves with its tail. And yes – although it sounds like a detail out of a children’s story – opossums really can do this. Their prehensile tails serve more or less as fifth limbs, and opossums often use them to transport leaves and other nesting material.
A snug winter nest is essential for an opossum, because this species is a recent arrival to the Northeast and poorly adapted for a cold climate; for example, it’s prone to frostbite on its ears and tail. (Here’s an Outside Story by Declan McCabe describing this climate mis-match.) Typical opossum nesting spaces include crannies within human-made structures, such as barns and attics, as well as tree cavities and other animals’ abandoned burrows.
Speaking of leaves, if you’re still craving fall color, your best bet may be a trip to a wetland This past weekend, we saw patches of bunchberry, which turn rosy pink, as well as red sphagnum (probably S. capillifolium), which intensifies in color this time of year. Both plants thrive in damp acidic soils.
What have you noticed in the woods this week? Submit a recent photo for possible inclusion in our monthly online Reader Photo Gallery.