This is another location
where I usually look for insects every year. The leaves of the
sumac that the camouflaged waterproof match container is hanging
amongst, turn a bright red in the fall. Now, contrary to popular belief,
the bright
reds of autumn
leaves are NOT masked by green chlorophyll all year long. The masking
theory is easily debunked by looking for what should be a great
change in color in the look of the leaf when shining light through
it as opposed to shining light on it. There is no difference,
therefore the red
is not there when the leaf
is green! Look at the picture on the right here
and imagine that red being somehow "masked" by a thin layer of
green!
especially in transmitted
light! No way Hosay!
The
red
is the color of
anthocyanins that are created in the fall. They come about as
a product of a chemical reaction between sugar and proteins
in the leaves.
In the fall try nibbling
on the clumps of fuzzy red berries the sumacs produce. They taste a lot like
lemonade and are loaded with vitamin C.
Please be careful to
wedge the container back into the wire harness
again.