April 1, 2017 - Carnivorous White Pines

That may sound like an April Fool's joke, but it's true, though somewhat indirectly.  A friend recently told me about spotting bunches of snow fleas - a type of insect know as springtails - on the snow (thanks BB!).

Snow Fleas on my finger

These are very tiny animals, but there are lots of them.

This reminded me of something I read in the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forest's publication "Forest Notes".  [Summer, 2017]  It has been found that a certain type of fungus, the bicolor deceiver (Laccaria bicolor), has a toxin that kills springtails when they feed on the fungus.  The toxin paralyzes the springtail, and then the fungus absorbs the insect's nutrients through filaments it extends into its body.  Knowing that the underground portions of fungus exchange nutrients with trees, scientists tagged a bunch of springtails with a radioactive tracker so they could follow it through the food chain.  The tagged springtails were placed near fungus which were in proximity to white pine, and after a few months, they found the pines contained radioactive nitrogen from the snow fleas.  It is incredible how so many creatures are interrelated and depend on each other for survival.  You can read more details about the process from the SPNHF article here.

The snow fleas will be around all year, though once the snow is gone they won't be noticed without looking for them, as they blend into the forest floor.

Snow fleas on an oak leaf

But they'll find the mushrooms, eat them, and in return, be fed to our giant white pines.

How many snow fleas were consumed in creating this giant?

As the snow melts, signs of spring are becoming more evident.

Puddles forming on the lakes

Hobblebush Viburnum ready for spring

Beaver ponds starting to open up

Meredith Bay peeling back

There are even a few green plants starting to photosynthesize the increasing sunlight.

Tree clubmoss (Lycopodium dendroideum) reappearing from under the snow pack

But don't let these signs fool you - there isn't much spring in the lakes on this April first.

Happy Easter!