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What in the Woods is That?

Mystery Unfolding

Sandy Dannis captured this photo back in May. The plant has since unfurled. What is it?

Ash Woes

What caused the unusual cluster of growth on this ash tree? (Hint: it isn’t emerald ash borer.)

By the Mark

What caused the orange mark on this Ostrya virginiana tree (known by many common names, including hophornbeam, hardhack, and ironwood). It looks like a poor boundary blaze, but it’s not.

Mystery in Lyme

The Lyme (NH) Historians, located opposite our office on the Lyme Common, are currently exhibiting historical artifacts related to logging camps and log drives. And that is your hint for this…

Tree Flower ID

Three tree flowers, all collected April 25 from one field in central Vermont. What are they?

Oddball Oak in NY

This Bonsai-like oak forest was seen in east-central New York. What caused the seedlings to grow like this?

Burning Time

It’s that time of the year when woodpiles are nearly gone. We pulled a few pieces from what we have remaining: can you tell us (left to right) what species we still have left to burn?

Twisted Trivia

Thanks to Sandy Dannis for sending along this artistic photo. Do you know what it is?

Lakeside Stumper

This group of trees grows along the shoreline of a lake in far northern New York. What species are we looking at?

Maple Rings

Patricia Liddle took this photo recently in Canaan, New York. Any idea what caused these horizontal deformities in the maple?

Mystery in the Mountains

What are these football-shaped objects, about .75 inch to 1 inch long, scattered on the snow of a dry site in the Taconic Mountains of Vermont?

Diamond-Studded Mystery

Winter Tree ID: Do you know what tree this is, with diamond-shaped bumps along its lower trunk?

Crazy Ice

Tom Norton sent along this photo at the end of December, with the following note: “Today my wife and I were walking near the Ompompanoosuc River in Thetford, Vermont, and were surprised to…

Sketchy Scars

Jerry Milne sent along this photo taken in Connecticut. The scars, seen on the uphill side of the trees, are about 30 years old, and they all got their start at the same time. Do you know what…

Weird Wires

What are these wire-like objects that have been exposed from beneath the bark of this dead ash tree?

Cobweb Conundrum

What are the thin, oval disks caught in the cobweb above the cavity of this sugar maple tree?

Crazy Apples?

An apple tree with compound leaves? What's going on here?

Rock of Ages

This worn, round stone stands out among its irregular peers. What's the story behind it?

Stick Boat Stumper

This still photo captures an action scene spotted by George Thomas in Littleton, New Hampshire. Do you know what is powering this stick boat?

It’s Not Scat

What are these round, ¼- to 3/8-inch-diameter objects scattered on the ground in this enriched northern hardwood forest? It’s not rabbit scat, and no one dropped a jar of capers.