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!).
This week in the woods we came across these globs of bright pink spattered across moss on a decaying log. What is this?
This pink mass is raspberry slime mold (Tubifera ferruginosa), which is common on mossy deadwood. As this slime mold matures, the pink will gradually turn to purple and then a dark brown.
This week’s contest winner was Linda Mercier