Berly McCoy

It was a tromp through Patuxent River State Park in Maryland, hosted by a group of naturalists, people trained in gathering observations and educating people about the environment. Now, naturalists lead hikes all over the world, but not all of them like this crew hand out homemade banana bread. That was pretty cool. And UV lights provided by our leader.

Okay, so Serenella is a mushroom expert? Yeah, along with other fungi. She's been leading nature walks since 2013, and tonight I really wanted to see the forest through her eyes. to know what flaps and flutters and fluoresces when the sun goes down in winter.

Okay, so Serenella is a mushroom expert? Yeah, along with other fungi. She's been leading nature walks since 2013, and tonight I really wanted to see the forest through her eyes. to know what flaps and flutters and fluoresces when the sun goes down in winter.

Okay, so Serenella is a mushroom expert? Yeah, along with other fungi. She's been leading nature walks since 2013, and tonight I really wanted to see the forest through her eyes. to know what flaps and flutters and fluoresces when the sun goes down in winter.

So I should really try to listen very closely to everything.

So I should really try to listen very closely to everything.

So I should really try to listen very closely to everything.

And that's what I want to do with you today, Burleigh. I want to just get real quiet and listen to the sounds of a winter's night when everything is dead or dormant. Or is it? Okay.

And that's what I want to do with you today, Burleigh. I want to just get real quiet and listen to the sounds of a winter's night when everything is dead or dormant. Or is it? Okay.

And that's what I want to do with you today, Burleigh. I want to just get real quiet and listen to the sounds of a winter's night when everything is dead or dormant. Or is it? Okay.

No idea, because it was so dark. And we don't have half of these critters' night vision.

No idea, because it was so dark. And we don't have half of these critters' night vision.

No idea, because it was so dark. And we don't have half of these critters' night vision.

But I know that the park, because I looked at a map, sits along the Patuxent River, which flows into Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. We were bundled in our winter coats, and the first stop along our night hike was a patch of lichen growing along a tree just off the parking lot.

But I know that the park, because I looked at a map, sits along the Patuxent River, which flows into Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. We were bundled in our winter coats, and the first stop along our night hike was a patch of lichen growing along a tree just off the parking lot.

But I know that the park, because I looked at a map, sits along the Patuxent River, which flows into Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. We were bundled in our winter coats, and the first stop along our night hike was a patch of lichen growing along a tree just off the parking lot.

Yeah, lichen is that stuff that grows on trees. It kind of looks like seaweed, but it's actually a hybrid colony of fungi and algae in a symbiotic relationship. To show us, Serenella dramatically shines her flashlight up the tree trunk.

Yeah, lichen is that stuff that grows on trees. It kind of looks like seaweed, but it's actually a hybrid colony of fungi and algae in a symbiotic relationship. To show us, Serenella dramatically shines her flashlight up the tree trunk.

Yeah, lichen is that stuff that grows on trees. It kind of looks like seaweed, but it's actually a hybrid colony of fungi and algae in a symbiotic relationship. To show us, Serenella dramatically shines her flashlight up the tree trunk.

Serenella then flips on her UV light and the patch of green lichen totally changes. And it suddenly glowed. Neon yellow. The lichen, one particular part of it was fluorescing. So absorbing the ultraviolet light from the flashlight and emitting visible light.