What’s Happening in the Woods?
July 2025
We’ve found two organisms you might want to visit. First, a patch of milkweed is supporting a healthy population of Monarch caterpillars. Second, we found an unusual plant growing adjacent to one of our trails.
Monarch Caterpillars
Last week we spotted ~10 large caterpillars feeding on milkweed. On 20 July we found ~8 very small caterpillars. They'll be large soon. To find the caterpillars look for plants with caterpillar damage, that is, holes in the leaves, or u-shaped divots on a leaf edge. Then, search the leaves of the milkweed on both the top and underside of the leaves. Warning: Watch out for poison ivy!
The patch of milkweed is adjacent to Mougey’s Lake Trail, in an open area located immediately before the trail reenters the woods and descends to the lake edge.
Ghost Pipes
On the 20th of July we also discovered some ghost pipes. Ghost pipes are stark-white plants with a pipe-bowl-like nodding flower on the end of each stem. The plants are white, not green, because they lack the chlorophyll most plants use for photosynthesis.
Rather than making food through photosynthesis, the ghost pipes plant lives underground and hijacks nutrients from soil fungi. And the plot thickens. The soil fungi are closely associated with tree roots. The fungi exchange minerals for nutrients from the tree. So, ultimately, the non-photosynthetic ghost pipes get their nutrition from the photosynthetic trees.
The ghost pipes’ flowers have nectar and pollen, and frequently are pollinated by bumble bees. After pollination the flowers turn to face upward and their seeds are wind-dispersed. You may want to return later this summer to see the upturned flowers.
Some ghost pipes are currently putting on a show at the gravel pit entrance. The ghost pipes are on the right, 1-2 yards past the chain crossing the trail entrance.
References
Tom Volk's Fungus of the Month for October 2002. http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/oct2002.html
The Ghosts of the forest Floor: Ghost Pipes. https://www.allianceforthebay.org/2023/10/the-ghosts-of-the-forest-floor-ghost-pipes/
