Come again and write more. Each time you come and ask, more of the woods will be known to you. Snags Dead trees that are still standing are some of the busiest parts of the forest. Here we see the food chain in action. All the decay going on welcomes insects and other life that feeds on detritus.
Woodpeckers can turn a tree into veritable swiss cheese as they bore in search of ants and termites.
The square or oval-shaped holes of the pileated woodpecker vary in size and shape. Especially along the YY trail, there are pileated holes down low on some of the evergreens. Get a close look at their work and notice the maze of holes within holes creating a network of shallow tunnels in the trunk. Deeper tree holes provide nesting space for woodpeckers, screech owls and even flying squirrels. Grey squirrels using a hole will chew all around the edge of he opening to enlarge it for their nest, but screech owls just squeeze right in.