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!).

Sad Sapling

On a recent walk through a woodlot in Greensboro, Vermont, friends encountered a healthy patch of sugar maple seedlings, but one tree (left) appeared to be dying. Closer inspection showed multiple holes in its root collar (right). What caused this damage?

Answer

This was the work of the ambrosia beetle. For more information about this species and how it attacks maple trees, check out this post from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

This week’s contest winner was No winner this week!