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!).

Forest Floor Find

Reader Lori van Handel found this interesting thing on the forest floor in Williamstown, Massachusetts. What is it?

Answer

This is American bear corn (Conopholis americana), a parasitic plant that does not photosynthesize and is dependent on its host – typically oak trees – for nutrients. Here it is pictured in fruit, though it can persist in a withered state all winter.

This week’s contest winner was Elise Leduc-Fleming