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!).
What’s got these maple leaves so pink?
Erineum gall.
The pink, felt-like patches on these maple leaves are damaged areas known as erineum galls, caused by eriophyid mites. The patches are most noticeable in the spring and, while it may look alarming, mite activity decreases over the summer and they don’t harm the tree.
This week’s contest winner was Mark Gemmill