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!).

Strange Surfaces

What's black and bumpy, white and woolly, and appears on trees in spring? We found this odd combination of surfaces in Franconia, New Hampshire. Extra points if you can explain why they appear close together.

Answer

Woolly aphids and sooty mold. These tiny, tufty white aphids appear en masse on twigs and stems in early spring. They suck sap and, as part of their digestive process, secrete honeydew – a sugary liquid. Sooty mold grows in honeydew.

This week’s contest winner was Roslyn Fine