Wednesday, January 29, 2020

What is it Wednesday: January 29, 2020



Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
January 29, 2020. 



And the answer is....



These little plant parts poking up out of the snow are the “cones” of ground pine. 

Ground pine is also known as club moss (and other names like running pine, ground cedar, and Christmas green) but is not a pine or a moss. It is a small evergreen plant closely related to ferns, which grows from runners just below the soil surface. We generally refer to it by its genus name, Lycopodium.

The main leafy part of the plant has been featured before in this photo for What is it Wednesday.




Since it is not a coniferous tree, the little yellow tufts in the first two pictures are not really cones, but a part of the plant called the “strobilus” (plural: strobili), which carries the spores of the plant. The rest of the still-green plant is buried under the snow. 

It can take up to 20 years for a spore released by the strobilus to develop into a plant that is visible above ground! Luckily for the plant, lycopodium also spreads by sending out runners, which grow and root just under the soil surface. 

Because much of the plant is connected by long runners, and because it takes so long to reproduce by spores, Lycopodium can be vulnerable to over-harvesting. People pulling up strands of lycopodium for Christmas decorations or other purposes can easily remove the majority of the plants in a given area in a short period of time. For this reason, harvesting or disturbing Lycopodium is not recommended, and some species are vulnerable enough to be protected in some areas.

Lycopodium has an interesting role in the history of early photography and special effects. The abundant spores of Lycopodium were collected to provide “lycopodium powder.” The tiny spores have a high fat content and high surface area ratio, making them very flammable. However, when ignited, the powder burns up almost immediately, producing very little heat but a quick bright flash of light. Lycopodium powder was used to create the flash for early photographs, and for flash effects for theater and early cinema. 

We are sure we have at least three species of Lycopodium at Lutherlyn, and possibly more. One type has flat, spreading irregular fan-like branches, and is known as running pine. When taking the photo below, I did not see the leafy parts hidden in the snow. But based on the shape of the strobili, we are guessing that the species in this photo may be running pine. 



One type is more upright with spikier leaves and tree-like branches and is known as tree groundpine. The leafy green photo above is this variety. 

One type grows as mostly individual branches reaching up from the runner and dividing near the tips, giving an appearance similar to antlers, and is known as staghorn clubmoss. 

Naming varieties of Lycopodium is tricky, as there are many common names AND the scientific nomenclatures have changed many times, so the names used vary a great deal depending on the source.The names used here give us enough of a sense of "who" we are looking at that it helps us identify and talk about them, so they will work just fine for us, but could be confusing when talking to others who use the common names differently. We are hoping to keep in eye out for other varieties of Lycopodium when the weather warms up and they are visible again. 

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!






Monday, January 27, 2020

What is it Wednesday archive: November 6, 2019



Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
November 6, 2019.



And the answer is....



This is the case of an evergreen bagworm moth. 

Each bagworm moth caterpillar begins to create a case from the vegetation around it soon after it hatches, and can move short distances while inside the case. In this stage the case provides a camouflaged habitat for the caterpillars.

When the caterpillar is ready to pupate, it spins silk to attach the case to a twig and seals the case shut – it is now the cocoon where the caterpillar will transform into an adult moth. 

After metamorphosis, adult male evergreen bagworm moths emerge as a small fuzzy black moth with transparent wings and feathery antennae. Female evergreen bagworm moths, however, remain inside their cases after metamorphosis. They continue to resemble caterpillars, with no wings or antennae and very small legs. When a female emits a pheromone, a male will extend its abdomen inside the female’s case to mate. The female stays inside the case after the eggs are fertilized and eventually dies there. The following spring the eggs hatch and the new larvae emerge from the case, to begin creating their own new cases.

The cases seen here were photographed in October, so likely are either empty (a male moth has left it behind after emerging) or hold eggs. Bagworm caterpillars do eat the plants they live on, so we will pick these cases off to prevent damage to this pine tree, and check the trees around it as well. In some places bagworm infestations can cause serious damage to host plants, but here in Pennsylvania they are usually a minor nuisance.

For more on how LEEP can help you identify the unusual things you find in nature and how to care for your natural surroundings, through school field trips, summer camp, Saturday safaris, special events, and more, check out www.lutherlyn.com/ee

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

Thursday, January 23, 2020

What is it Wednesday: January 22, 2020




Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on 
January 22, 2020.



And the answer is....





This is the bark of a shagbark hickory tree. 

Shagbark hickory is one of the trees that has very distinctive bark – it is usually obvious from just a quick look that a tree is shagbark hickory and it is clear where it gets its name! This makes shagbark hickory one of the trees that is easiest to identify during the winter, after the leaves have fallen from deciduous trees.


Usually the leaves of a tree are the easiest tool to identify what type of tree it is. But YOU can learn how to identify trees even without their leaves, using clues from the twigs and bark, at LEEP’s Winter Tree ID Saturday Safari on Saturday, February 1, 9:30 am – noon. We’ll also estimate the ages of some trees (how old do you think the oldest trees at Lutherlyn are?) and learn how to determine how healthy a whole forest is. Registration deadline is January 27th! For more info or to register, check out www.Lutherlyn.com/safari. 

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

Monday, January 20, 2020

What is it Wednesday archive: November 13, 2019



Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
November 13, 2019. 



And the answer is....



This is the egg case of a praying mantis. 

In the late fall, a female mantis lays between 12 and 400 eggs, then covers them with a frothy substance that quickly hardens, creating this case. A hardened egg case is known as an ootheca and protects the eggs inside from weather and predators throughout the winter. In the spring, the nymphs hatch from the eggs then emerge from the case, ready to hunt.


We found this case when removing tree shelters from places where we had planted American Chestnuts. When we saw the case on this one, we left the shelter there, so the eggs can hatch and provide the world with more of these captivating predators. 

Since praying mantises eat other insects, they can be helpful to have around gardens and houses – if you see an egg case like this, leave it where it is and support the mantis population!

For more on how LEEP can help you spot the benefits in the details of the nature around us, through school field trips, Saturday Safaris, summer camp, special events and more, check out www.Lutherlyn.com/ee


Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

Thursday, January 16, 2020

What is it Wednesday: January 15, 2020



Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
January 15, 2020.



And the answer is....





This is the twig of a black walnut tree, with side buds and leaf scar visible in the center (and Terra Dei solar panels in the background). 

The twigs of trees don’t get much attention, but they are distinctive – features like buds, scars, bark, and the twigs themselves have different sizes, shapes, colors, and textures in different tree species.  Here we see the distinctive shape of the leaf scar of black walnut twigs – sometimes described as a monkey face or Mickey Mouse shape.

The varying features of twigs are so distinctive they can help pinpoint tree identification. In fact, in winter when there are no leaves on deciduous trees, these usually unnoticed features are actually the best  clues for identifying tree species. 

The bark of a tree can help with identification, especially in some species which have distinctive bark, but bark can be variable and difficult to use as an identifier without a lot of experience. The general shape of a tree can be a clue too...but the twigs give us the best information for identifying trees when there are not leaves on them. 

You can learn how! Join LEEP for a Winter Tree ID Saturday Safari on Saturday, February 1, 9:30 am – noon. We’ll also estimate the ages of some trees and learn how to determine how healthy a whole forest is. Registration deadline is January 27th! For more info or to register, check out www.Lutherlyn.com/safari.




Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

Monday, January 13, 2020

What is it Wednesday: December 11, 2019



Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
December 11, 2019.



And the answer is....


This is a jelly fungus, most likely either tree ear (Auricularia americana) or jelly leaf (tremella frondosa).


This is a great example of how mushrooms can be tricky to identify. These two different mushrooms have similar characteristics. Sometimes the only ways to tell them apart for sure is with the color of the spores or even the shapes and sizes of microscopic features. Because this specimen has so many lobes growing together, my guess is it is probably jelly leaf...



...but up close it just looks so ear-like!

In addition, common names can often be confusing - but fun! Auricularia americana can be known as tree ear, wood ear, jelly ear, cloud ear, or black fungus; Tremella frondosa can be known as jelly leaf, leafy brain, and brown witches butter; and sometimes the same common names can refer to a few different species  that are similar but distinct, or even different mushrooms altogether.  

If you’re not planning to eat the mushroom, it’s fun but not essential to identify it. But at LEEP we do like to at least try to identify items we encounter in nature. One reason is that it helps us (and others) be able to better relate to the natural world: when something has a name, we see it as an individual, something we have a relationship with, maybe even a friend (or sometimes a foe). This shapes in us a different understanding of nature, and often one that is more inclined to care for the natural world – something we think is an important part of being people of God!  “That weird fungus that I couldn’t figure out” doesn’t create much of a relationship: jelly leaf or tree ear does, because it helps us see it as an individual of God’s creation, connected with other individuals and systems of God’s creation.

For more on how LEEP can help you develop relationships with the natural world, through school field trips, summer camp, Saturday safaris, and more, check out www.Lutherlyn.com/ee


Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

Thursday, January 9, 2020

What is it Wednesday: January 8, 2020



Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
January 8, 2020



And the answer is....



We thought this view of the benches, seen looking down from the top of Chapel Rock, looks a bit like the “wifi” symbol!

Image result for wifi symbol free


It reminded us of this quote:, shared by a middle school student describing their experience at an overnight school field trip: 

“There’s no wifi in the forest,
 but I promise you’ll find a better connection.”  

We agree! What do you feel connected to when you experience the natural world?

For more on how LEEP can help you find a better connection in the forest, through school field trips, Saturday safaris, summer camp, retreats, special events and more, check out www.Lutherlyn.com/ee



Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

Monday, January 6, 2020

What is it Wednesday archive: December 18, 2019



Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
December 18, 2019



And the answer is....


This is the burr of the burdock plant. 

Burrs are seed pods which have tiny “hooks” that allow them to cling to animals and people that brush against them while passing by. By hitching a ride on passersby, the seeds get dispersed further away from the parent plant, allowing the plant to spread and survive in more places. Clever!


Burdock’s burrs have relatively large and visible hooks, which make them a nightmare for getting out of clothing, hair, and fur, but very effective at spreading their seeds. They were also the inspiration for the creation of velcro hook-and-loop closures – compare the two sometime! Nature’s clever designs often become inspiration for clever human designs.

For more on how LEEP can help you learn about the clever designs in nature and their functions, through school field trips, summer camp, Saturday safaris, and more, check out www.Lutherlyn.com/ee.


Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!

Thursday, January 2, 2020

What is it Wednesday: January 1, 2020



Can you identify what's in this photo?


Each Wednesday morning 
on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page
 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 


Readers have all morning and afternoon 
to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.


Each week's What is it Wednesday post 
will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
 after it is posted on Facebook,
sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 
on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 
we will be reposting old editions,
creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on
January 1, 2020.



And the answer is....


This is a skunk cabbage shoot, growing through ice in a wet area along the Semiconon Creek. This photo was taken in December just before our Christmas warm spell. 

The skunk cabbage shoot is a protective leaf wrapped around the hood (spathe) and flower (spadex) of the skunk cabbage blossom. 

Skunk cabbage blossoms (a former What is it Wednesday feature) can begin to emerge in February, often pushing through snow to do so. A chemical process in the plant actually warms up the earth around the blossom so it can survive. 

Before the blossom emerges with this heat production, the shoot protects itself from the surrounding cold with a layer of waxy thick protective leaves.


Most trees and shrubs produce their buds in the fall, so they are ready to open when the weather warms in the spring, and some herbaceous plants like skunk cabbage have shoots at or just below the surface of the earth, ready to grow when the conditions are right. 

The new year’s growth comes from the past year’s beginnings.

May good things blossom for you in 2020 - Happy New Year everyone! 



Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!