What in the Woods Is That?

Play our biweekly guessing game!

Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.

Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).

A Piney Protrusion

Penny Harris of Cambridge, Vermont took this photo of a pine branch near her home. What’s protruding from the branches?

Answer

Cecropia Moth Cocoon.

This is the cocoon of a cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia) – the largest native moth in North America with a wingspan of 5 to 6 inches. As a caterpillar, the cecropia feeds on various shrubs and plants, and spins a cocoon of brown silk. As a moth, the cecropia flies mostly at night, and does not eat at all: it lives merely a few weeks, and its sole purpose is to mate.

Incorrect but creative answers included a praying mantis cocoon and mistletoe.

This week’s contest winner was Richard Wyatt