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!).

Hole-y Moly!

Reader Don Hebert found these holes on the ground in the lean-to attached to his barn in Somersworth, New Hampshire. What creature made these holes?

Answer

These pits are made by ant lions (also called doodle bugs). When an ant walks by, the ant lion starts tossing sand at the ant to dislodge it so it falls into the pit and can become a meal for the ant lion. These holes are often found in sheltered locations, where the rain can’t damage them.

This week’s contest winner was Lenny Saloio