MYSTERY PHOTO: Extreme close-up

You’ve probably see this picture before, but just not so close-up.  What is it?  Send your best guess – plus your name and the town in which you now live – to editor@charlestoncurrents.com.  In the subject line, write: “Mystery Photo guess.” (If you don’t include your contact information, we can’t give you credit!)

Last issue’s mystery

The July 16 mystery photo might have made your skin crawl – if you thought about all of the bugs you will encounter in the summer in the Congaree National Park in lower Richland County, which is where the photo was taken.  The mystery was particularly tough because it looks like a lot of other great places (and guesses by readers) in South Carolina, including the Francis Beidler Forest near Harleyville, Walterboro’s city swamp park and Edisto Gardens in Orangeburg.

Congratulations to these sleuths who figured out the location:  Christy Doucette of Mount Pleasant; Boykin Beard of Camden; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; Kristina Wheeler of West Ashley; and Marnie Huger of Richmond, Va.

Wheeler loves the park:  “One of my favorite places in South Carolina – Congaree National Park. The largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States encompassing nearly 27,000 acres. There is fascinating biodiversity found there in every season. Loved camping during a supermoon last December and when the synchronous fireflies were on show this past June!”

Graf provided a little more context: “According to nationalparks.org, situated along the meandering Congaree River in central South Carolina, Congaree National Park is home to champion trees, primeval forest landscapes, and diverse plant and animal life. This 22,200-acre park protects the largest contiguous tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the United States. Known for its giant hardwoods and towering pines, the parks floodplain forest includes one of the highest canopies in the world and some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States.

“A joint venture between the Old-Growth Bottomland Forest Research and Education Center and the Columbia Museum of Art, the Congaree National Park Art & Science Project provided 5 integrated, standards-based experiences that engaged more than 1,100 students (many minority, low-income, and first-time visitors) in the art and science of soil. Two youth interns helped with program delivery.”

• Send us a mystery:  If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!)   Send it along to  editor@charlestoncurrents.com.