What is it Wednesday: October 13, 2021

 

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

October 13, 2021. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

The fungus most visible in this photo is Panellus stipticus, also known as bitter oyster. 

This was a bit of a trick question, because what makes this fungus special is not visible in daylight, and is very difficult to photograph – it glows in the dark!

Bioluminescent fungi use the same chemicals to glow that fireflies use to flash – luciferin and luciferase. But the ways fireflies and fungi add oxygen to these chemicals to make them light up are different, and the ways the chemicals are synthesized inside their cells are different too. Only live tissue of the fungus glows, and only in certain conditions, like the proper temperatures, amount of sunlight, and pH. In some places glowing fungus is known as foxfire.

Jack-o-lanterns, a common orange mushroom found in abundant clusters around Lutherlyn, is another fungus that can glow in the dark.

We spotted several patches of the Panellus stipticus glowing fungus last week along Chapel Hill Lane between Terra Dei and the Rec Center. You can see from the additional pictures that there are actually at least three different types of fungi on this log on the logs nearby, and only one small section of fungus that glows.

Seeing an unidentified glow in the forest might have been pretty spooky in the times before people understood bioluminescence. At Halloween it’s fun to think about things in nature that may seem a little scary at first but after learning more are no longer scary but are very interesting! Happy Halloween 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!

What is it Wednesday archive: sometime in 2017

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
sometime in 2017. 

 

And the answer is....

JACK O' LANTERN MUSHROOMS

This is a close up of Jack O'Lantern mushrooms. 

Jack O’Lantern fungus is often found in clusters on decaying stumps, 
buried roots or at the base of hardwood trees. 

Sometimes they resembles the edible chanterelle mushroom, but Jack O’Lanterns are poisonous – don’t eat them! 

Jack O'Lanterns are one of a handful of mushrooms in Pennsylvania which are bioluminescent: when they are fresh, the gills on the underside of the Jack O’Lantern mushroom may emit a slight greenish glow.

Their bright orange color and occasional eerie glow make this a great Halloween find in nature! 

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: October 27, 2021

 

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

October 27, 2021. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

Hiding among the leaves and branches of this tree are two black rat snakes.

You can probably tell from the bright green of the leaves that this picture is not a recent one – it was taken early this summer, sometime near the beginning of June. The time of year, the fact that these are two good-sized snakes, and that they seem to be moving into each other’s space on purpose, are all good indications that this pair of snakes was mating.

Black rat snakes are good climbers! 

This is a little (or a lot) unsettling to many people, as we are accustomed to seeing snakes on the ground and it can be unexpected and unnerving to see them at eye level or even above our heads! However, in Pennsylvania, snakes in trees are not a danger to people - when they’re in a tree snakes are generally out of our reach, uninterested in us, and not somewhere that we could accidentally step on or harm them or where they could get into a building where we don’t want them. (At Lutherlyn, we don’t have any venomous snakes, so as long as we give them a little space we never need to worry when we see snakes.) 

This makes them a perfect Halloween “fright” - something that instinctively makes the heart beat a little faster but is not actually dangerous to you, and also is beautiful and fascinating! For more on how LEEP can help you transform your view of nature from fearful to fascinating, through school field trips, Saturday Safaris, summer camp, retreats 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!

What is it Wednesday: October 20, 2021

 

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

October 20, 2021. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

This mushroom is Coprinus comatus, commonly known as shaggy mane. 

It is sometimes also called lawyer’s wig or shaggy ink cap. 

In addition to its distinctive shape and texture, shaggy mane is notable for its life cycle. A few days after emerging, as it begins to decompose it starts to drip a black liquid, and eventually the whole mushroom dissolves into this inky black goo. This process can be called "deliquescence" - meaning to liquify - or "autodigestion" - because an enzyme within the mushroom is what causes it to begin to break down. 

shaggy mane beginning to "autodigest"

Shaggy mane is edible when fresh, but once picked it decomposes within hours, and is no longer useable.

Shaggy mane and another mushroom known as inky cap are often confused or conflated. They are related, have a similar shape, and both dissolve into inky black goo. The main difference is that inky cap does not have the shaggy texture that shaggy mane has. (Inky cap is also more of a light beige color while shaggy mane is white, and inky caps often open into a wider “umbrella” as they mature.) 

Despite this clear difference, many of the photos in an image search for inky cap are actually pictures of shaggy mane – a good reminder to double check any information you find online. 

Inky cap, like shaggy mane, is edible when fresh but there is a main difference. Inky cap is sometimes known as tipplers bane, as drinking alcohol while or after eating inky cap causes vomiting and heart palpitations. Remember to only eat mushrooms if you are experienced in identifying them or are with someone who is; and the safest way to avoid eating a poisonous mushroom is to not eat wild mushrooms!

Fall is a great time to spot interesting mushrooms – keep your eyes open wherever you are outdoors and see what you can find!

What is it Wednesday: June 23, 2021

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

June 23, 2021. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

These are beech nuts, not yet fully ripe. 

Back in June, a large portion of a European beech tree along the main Lutherlyn driveway recently broke and fell to the ground. In the tops of the branches that ended up on the ground were many many beech nuts. Beech nuts, like most nuts, ripen in the fall, so these were still green, not fully developed or ripe. Visiting that beech tree again right now in October might result in finding nuts that have ripened. 

Beech nuts, though small, are wonderful food for animals and humans, but the animals usually get to them first. It is far more common to find the empty husks on the ground than ripe nuts, unless you have good luck and timing. Both European and American beech trees produce edible nuts.

This beech tree is near the Nursery Trail, which is a popular spot for trail rides from the Equestrian Center. For more on how you can spend some time on Lutherlyn’s trails, on a horse or on foot, during summer camp or other programs, check out www.Lutherlyn.com. 

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: October 24, 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, 

 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

October 24, 2018. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

 

This stunning array of leaves didn’t arrive at the base of this tree in this pattern on their own – they were placed there, as part of a nature art project inspired by artist Andy Goldsworthy.  

In 2018 and 2019, students from the Falk Lab School at the University of Pittsburgh spent three days at Lutherlyn, engaging in a wide range of field work in art, math, science, and writing. October, as the leaves at Lutherlyn are beginning to reach their peak of color, seemed like a perfect time to highlight this beautiful display of fall leaves from the past. 

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: September 29, 2021

 

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

September 29, 2021. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

 

 This is the caterpillar of the imperial moth.

The imperial moth itself was a What is it Wednesday feature about a year ago. It is the largest moth species found in Pennsylvania!

The caterpillar is also one of the largest found in our area. It may be hard to tell from this photo, but this one was about 4 inches long (and caught our attention even as we were driving by on the entrance driveway). Though this one is an olive-green color, they can be found with many different color variations – shades of brown, orange, pink, salmon or green. Regardless of the coloration, imperial moth caterpillars all have white hairs (setae) along the whole body, spiky yellow horns on the front two body segments, and white dots along the sides. The caterpillar will burrow into the ground to pupate over the winter and emerge as adult moth late next summer.

The imperial moth is one of our favorites to see, and it was exciting to find that the caterpillar is just as striking and majestic! 

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: September 22, 2021

 

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

September 22, 2021. 

 

 

 

And the answer is....

This is a giant puffball mushroom. 

This time of year, it’s not uncommon to hear of people thinking they saw a volleyball or soccer ball left sitting in the yard, and on closer inspection realizing it is a large mushroom!

Giant puffballs are solid white on the outside and on the inside when fresh, and have no stem. As puffballs get older, spores develop on the inside, and the previously solid white center becomes a powdery gray-green. When disturbed (stepped on, tapped with a finger, hit with raindrops, etc.), this gray-green powder full of spores puffs out, giving puffballs their name. Giant puffballs are large and usually occur singly in an area, but other types of puffballs are much smaller and occur in large clusters.

puffball mushrooms after decaying and spreading spores

Giant puffballs and their smaller cousins are edible, BUT they do have two very poisonous look-alikes. Here’s a description from www.eattheweeds.com :  “Never take for granted you have a puffball. Always cut each one open vertically, top to bottom, and make sure it is one solid soft white mass inside with no outline.  You should make sure the inside is pure white, never dark, and that the outer skin of the puffball is thin. If the inside is dark from the start and the outer skin is thick you probably have Scleroderma, one of the earth balls. With smaller puffballs you must make sure the entire fruiting body is homogeneous, consistently a texture of marshmallows. You should slice down the center of every puffball to make sure there is not a pre-formed mushroom inside. If so, it is likely to be an immature form of the death angels, Amanita bisporigera, Amanita virosa, and Amanita verna. They are all deadly…. Ninety percent of all mushroom fatalities involve Amanitas.”

a mushroom not fully developed, looking a bit like a puffball but may be an amanita

 Even when you have conclusively identified a puffball, it can only be eaten if the inside is still completely white and a uniform texture.  

Remember to only eat mushrooms if you are experienced in identifying them or are with someone who is; and the safest way to avoid eating a poisonous mushroom is to not eat wild mushrooms. This is much less of a concern for animals, who can often eat many things that are poisonous to humans. The surface of this giant puffball has already been nibbled on by many small creatures – a giant feast!

Fall is a great time to spot interesting mushrooms - keep your eyes open wherever you are outdoors, or check out www.Lutherlyn.com to find out how you can visit Lutherlyn this fall and see what fascinating fungi you can spy here!

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!