What is it Wednesday: January 30 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, 

the day 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 30, 2019. 

And the answer is....

The gnarled appearance of this American chestnut tree is a result of the chestnut blight, a fungus called Cryphonectria parasitica. Lutherlyn has 21 American chestnut trees, bred by the American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation from “survivor trees” in hopes that they would be resistant to the chestnut blight. 

After the blight was introduced accidentally into the United States in the early 1900’s, almost all American chestnut trees died. American chestnut trees had no resistance to the fungus, unlike its Asian and European cousins. But a few individuals survived, and a handful of organizations are working to breed a blight-resistant American chestnut and revitalize this once-great tree.

Eleven of Lutherlyn’s American chestnuts were planted about 18 years ago, and another ten seedlings were planted in the last few years from nuts produced here by those original eleven trees. The hope is not that the trees will avoid getting the blight, but that when they do get it they will be able to fight it off.

Unfortunately, the tree in this picture is very damaged by the blight. It will probably not survive much longer, since the blight has completely surrounded the trunk. But this tree was one of the smaller ones, overgrown and shaded out by the others – maybe the larger heartier trees around it (which are also starting to show signs of the blight) will resist the blight and survive.

Lutherlyn also has several Chinese chestnut trees. They are naturally resistant to the blight, and do produce nuts every year, but are very different trees. Chinese chestnuts are relatively short, small, and spreading, like a dogwood tree, while mature American chestnut trees are more like oak trees, growing up to 100 feet tall! It would be great to see these majestic trees survive the blight and take their place in American forests once again.

See our December 2012 post 100% American Chestnuts for more about how these trees once dominated the eastern forests, their destruction by the chestnut blight, and attempts to bring them back.

At Lutherlyn, we love to take part in restoring and caring for the land around us, and teaching others to do the same. To learn with LEEP about how you can help be a part of caring for and restoring nature, check out ww.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!

What is it Wednesday archive: February 7, 2018

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, 

the day 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 February 7, 2018. 

And the answer is....

These nests on the underside of Chapel Rock were made by pipe organ mud dauber wasps. 

These wasps are shiny blue-black and very long and skinny. The females build the nests and the males will defend the mouth of the nest to protect the young. 

Mud dauber wasps eat primarily orb-weaver spiders. They are also very docile, and stings to humans are rare, so as long as you don’t harass them, you can enjoy the beauty of the nests and the wasps themselves without fear of being stung.

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!

What is it Wendnesday: January 23, 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, 

the day 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 23, 2019. 

And the answer is....

This is a close up of the beak and feathers of a screech owl 

in LEEP’s Discovery Room. 

One of Pennsylvania’s smallest owls at about 10 inches tall, screech owls can be either gray or a reddish-brown color like this one. 

Screech owls are the owls we most frequently hear at Lutherlyn: their main call is a long descending “whinny” or tremolo that doesn’t sound much like the “whoo” we usually associate with owls. These night-time predators eat small mammals like mice and voles, but also insects, amphibians, and small birds. They are predators but also prey – larger barred owls (which we also sometimes hear at Lutherlyn) are known to eat screech owls.

When you’re at Lutherlyn, stop by the Discovery Room in the Nature Center to see screech owls, a barn owl, and other fascinating animal displays. Or better yet, come on a night hike with LEEP and maybe you will hear an owl yourself!

On Saturday February 2^nd  LEEP is hosting special night-time Saturday Safari from 6:00-8:00 pm. We’ll take a night hike, learn about our night vision, listen for night sounds, look for animal tracks in the snow, and check out some winter constellations (weather permitting). Registration deadline is January 28 – check out www.Lutherlyn.com/safari for more info and to register!

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!

What is it Wednesday archive: April 11, 2018

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, 

the day 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 April 11, 2018. 

And the answer is....

The tracks in the blue circles are of a turkey, walking away from the viewer. 

The tracks in the red circle are of a rabbit, hopping towards the viewer. The two rabbit prints closest to the viewer are of the rabbit’s hind feet as they swing forward and hit the ground together side by side.

One of the (few?) nice things about the late snows we’ve been getting this spring is that they provide a great opportunity to see more animal tracks!

To learn more about the natural world all around us with LEEP check out http://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!

What is it Wednesday: January 16, 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, 

the day after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on January 16, 2019. 

And the answer is....

These are the leaves of teaberry (sharing the scene with moss, lichen, dead leaves, tree bark, and snow). 

Teaberry is a small plant that grows close the ground with oval shaped leaves that are a shiny dark green on top all year round, and duller light green underneath. It also produces small white flowers followed by a few dark red berries. Teaberry is also known as wintergreen – the leaves and berries are edible and taste like wintergreen mint. Their best use is in making a minty tea.

There are a few small plants that look similar to teaberry/wintergreen – if you aren’t sure if you’ve found teaberry, break a leaf and smell it. If it smells like mint, it’s teaberry! 

One of the delightful things about teaberry is that its refreshing flavor is available all year round! It is most often found on the forest floor near hemlock trees, though it sometimes shows up other places as well.

To find out how you can learn more with LEEP about the refreshing things all around us in nature, 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!

What is it Wednesday archive: January 2, 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, 

the day 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 2, 2019. 

And the answer is....

These are the rose hips of a multiflora rose bush. 

The hips of a rose are its fruit – the seeds are held inside the bright red berry. Rose hips are high in vitamin C, and teas, jams, and other beverages  can be made from them. The hips of multiflora rose, however, are tiny and full of many prickly seeds. Because of this, they aren’t the greatest for use in teas or other foods, but they do have an interesting sweet-and-tart flavor (though some might call it bitter). (Remember to only taste wild plants if you are certain of its identification and usage, or are with someone who is!) Many animals also find the hips a useful food in winter.

Multiflora rose, unfortunately, is abundant around Lutherlyn and all over Pennsylvania and the northeast. It is a thorny invasive non-native plant that was encouraged in the 1930’s for erosion control, fencing, and animal habitat. It spreads aggressively, with average plants producing about a million seeds a year, which can remain viable for up to 20 years! Keeping the multiflora rose contained is an ongoing battle at Lutherlyn, but at least we can enjoy the beauty of the colorful red hips that brighten up the dark days of winter.

For more on how LEEP can help you become aware of both the challenging and beneficial features of the things around us in nature, 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!

What is it Wednesday archive: December 12, 2018

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, 

the day 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 12, 2018. 

And the answer is....

This close-up is of rhododendron leaves, curled tight in the cold. 

When we think of “evergreens” in Pennsylvania, we generally think of evergreen trees with various types of thin pointy needles instead of leaves. But the rhododendron is a broad-leaved evergreen shrub. It stays green all winter, and uses “tricks” to survive the cold weather, like a waxy coating on the leaves, sugars and proteins in the fluids in the cells, and stoma (pores in the leaf) that are closed all winter long. 

Rhododendron leaves also curl up in cold weather, beginning to curl at around 20 degrees Fahrenheit and curling tighter as the temperatures drop colder. Scientists don’t quite know what causes the leaves to curl, but it is likely some variation in the response to cold in different parts of the plant tissue or cells.  The leaf curling has a benefit to people too – it acts as a quick visual thermometer! Many people who regularly observe rhododendrons in winter can tell how cold it is just by the shape of the leaves.

To find out how LEEP can help you observe and learn about the details of nature, 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!

What is it Wednesday: January 9, 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, 
the day after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on January 9, 2019.

And the answer is....

We’re actually not 100% sure what this is, but our best guess is that a muskrat attempted to build a lodge here, between the floats of the canoe dock on Lower Lake.

Muskrats build dens in burrows in embankments along the water’s edge, or in lodges built up in shallow water with piles of gathered vegetation. In both types, the entrance to the den is underwater and slopes upward to den areas above water level.

It is a little hard to understand exactly what was going on in this case because this “lodge” is now on bare ground instead of partly in the water. Lower Lake is drained every winter to reduce vegetation in the lake, so perhaps this lodge was begun when the water level was such that part of the lodge was underwater and part of it was above water.

There are several muskrat dens in Upper Lake along the “dam” end of the lake, but we don’t normally see any of these “pop-up” dens or feeding areas. Maybe one of the Upper Lake muskrats decided to venture into new territory and attempt to establish a den on Lower Lake. This accumulation of vegetation seen here does match photos and descriptions of muskrat lodges, but with the water level the way it is now, it is unlikely that muskrats found this an effective home.

At LEEP, we love learning new things about the natural environment around us! We don’t already know it all, and enjoy seeking out the answers to new things that we aren’t sure about. Find out how you can continue to learn more about the world around us with LEEP through Saturday Safaris, school field trips, summer camp, and more, at 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!