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May 26th, 2010 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!).

Unknown Insect

Our friend Bryan Pfeiffer shared this wonderful picture with us. What kind of bug is it? (Hint: you really have seen it before, especially at this time of year.)

Answer

A firefly. Did you know that each species of firefly has its own flash pattern? That the questing males flashing in the meadow are being responded to by females flashing in the tall grass? That certain predator fireflies are also hiding in the tall grass, mimicking female flash patterns and luring amorously-intentioned males in so they can eat them?

The story gets much more interesting, and much more gruesome, but I’m afraid you’ll have to read The Outside Story to learn more. Keep guessing, you’ll win one of these times.

This week’s contest winner was Robert Ploss of Trumansburg, NY. We had 11 correct answers.

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