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!).

I Spy…Spiky Leaves?

Reader Mary Heide shared this photo of a maple leaf with “strange spikes sticking out of it,” which she found at her home in Taylor County, Wisconsin. What is happening here?

Answer

These are maple spindle galls. As noted in this article by PennState Extension, maple leaves can be host to a variety of galls, and although “these galls may be aesthetically unappealing to some, they do not affect the overall health of the infested tree.”

This week’s contest winner was Rob Anderegg