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!).

Buzzin’ Puzzle

To bee, or not to bee: What is happening in this photograph?

Answer

A robber fly has captured and is about to make a meal of a beetle. Some robber flies in the sub-family Laphriinae, such as this one, are bee-mimics; although they don’t sting, birds and other would-be predators may be confused by their appearance and avoid them. There are a few ways to distinguish these faux bees from the real thing: robber flies have forked pads at the ends of their feet, “bearded” faces, and smaller, more set-apart eyes.

This week’s contest winner was Corinne Kelly