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October 29th, 2009 What in the Woods is That?

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!).

Sugar Maple Scar

What caused the scar on this sugar maple tree?

Sugar Maple Scar Image

Answer

Sugar Maple Borer.

The unmistakably ugly scar on this sugar maple was caused by a sugar maple borer larva – a rosy-cream colored caterpillar. The problems for this tree began when an adult sugar maple borer – a striking black beetle with bright yellow markings – laid an egg in a crack in the bark. Healthy sugar maples can sometimes produce compounds that overwhelm a borer larva, but not in this case. Here, the borer spent two happy years below the bark, chewing a meandering path through the cambium layer. This tree has been badly wounded, and its value has been significantly compromised.

This week’s contest winner was Laura Conkey of Hanover, NH

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