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!).

Funky Ferns

On a walk in the rain, we found this silk-wrapped package of Christmas fern frond leaflets. What created this fern ball? And what benefit does it provide?

Answer

This is the work of a larva (caterpillar) of one of several moth species in the Herpetogramma genus. Fern balls provide sheltered platforms where the larvae can feed on fern tips while staying out of sight of predators.

This week’s contest winner was Jim Shaw