The Hotel in the Old Log

An old mossy log lay beside a shady woodland path. Puschel stopped and listened without tapping the bark.

Puschel“Nobody home. This tree house is definitely empty.”

Flauschi pointed to a small round hole. A shiny beetle crawled across the bark beside it. Puschel lifted the green explorer’s magnifying glass and spotted two woodlice in the damp moss. They were little grey animals with lots of short legs.

Flauschi“Empty looks quite different. This log is a proper woodland hotel.”

At an already open spot, they saw little tunnels that animals had eaten through the wood. These are called feeding tunnels. A small fungus and soft moss grew nearby. They did not lift any bark. Parts of the old wood were soft and crumbly. Creatures were eating and building here.

Puschel“Then I need a room list: beetles on the left, woodlice in the moss and a fungus with a view!”

Flauschi explained that wood from dead trees or branches is called deadwood. Fungi, small animals and tiny living things called bacteria slowly soften it and break it into little parts. This is called decomposition. Useful things that plants need to grow return to the soil.

Flauschi“A fallen log is not useless. It remains an important part of the forest for a long time.”

Puschel wanted to look beneath the log for more guests, but animals might be living there. So he left it exactly where it was and studied only the tracks he could already see.

Puschel“The woodland hotel has no bell and no beds, but it definitely has plenty of guests.”