You’ve probably spotted something strange dangling from a tree in North Carolina and wondered what it is. Not everything that looks like a nest actually houses birds.
Some of these mysterious objects are downright fascinating once you know the story. Here are seven surprising things you might discover in North Carolina trees.
1. Squirrel Dreys
Squirrels build amazing homes called dreys that can easily fool anyone walking through North Carolina forests. Made from twigs, leaves, and moss, these round structures sit high in tree branches just like bird nests.
Gray squirrels and fox squirrels throughout the state construct these cozy shelters for sleeping and raising their babies. The main difference is size—dreys are usually basketball-sized and much bulkier than most bird nests.
Look for multiple entrance holes, which birds rarely include in their nest designs.
2. Witches’ Broom Disease
Strange clusters of dense, tangled branches grow on trees infected with this peculiar plant disease. From a distance, these abnormal growths create nest-like silhouettes that confuse hikers across North Carolina’s mountain and piedmont regions.
Fungi, viruses, or tiny mites cause the tree to produce excessive branch growth in one concentrated spot. The resulting tangle looks remarkably similar to a large bird nest, especially during winter when leaves have fallen.
Hackberry trees in North Carolina commonly develop these formations.
3. Mistletoe Clumps
This parasitic plant creates round, bushy masses in tree crowns throughout North Carolina that mimic bird nests perfectly. Mistletoe attaches to host trees and spreads into ball-shaped clusters of green stems and leaves.
During winter months, when deciduous trees lose their foliage, mistletoe clumps become especially visible and nest-like in appearance. Oak trees commonly host these plants across the state’s forests and urban areas.
Unlike actual nests, mistletoe stays green year-round and continues growing larger each season.
4. Bagworm Cases
Tiny caterpillars create protective shelters from silk and plant materials that dangle from branches like miniature nests. While much smaller than bird nests, bagworm cases can appear in large numbers across North Carolina evergreen and deciduous trees.
Each cone-shaped case hangs vertically and houses a single caterpillar that feeds on tree foliage. When dozens cluster together on one branch, they create a nest-like appearance from afar.
Cedar and juniper trees in North Carolina yards frequently host these interesting insects.
5. Vine Tangles
Wild grapevines and other climbing plants wrap around tree branches creating messy, nest-shaped bundles. As vines grow and intertwine, they form dense masses that settle into branch forks, mimicking the structure of large bird nests.
North Carolina forests have abundant wild grapes, Virginia creeper, and poison ivy that commonly create these tangles. Wind and weather help shape the vines into rounded forms that can fool observers from ground level.
Dead vine masses often persist for years after the plant dies.
6. Burl Formations
Trees sometimes develop unusual woody growths called burls that protrude from trunks and branches like lumpy nests. Stress from injury, insects, or disease causes the tree to produce abnormal cell growth in concentrated areas.
Burls appear as rounded, knobby masses that can reach impressive sizes on North Carolina hardwoods. From certain angles, especially when partially hidden by foliage, these formations resemble large stick nests built against the trunk.
Woodworkers prize burls for their beautiful swirling grain patterns inside the wood.
7. Abandoned Hornet Nests
Paper wasps and bald-faced hornets construct impressive papery homes in tree branches that resemble bird architecture. Made from chewed wood fibers mixed with saliva, these gray nests can grow basketball-sized or larger throughout North Carolina’s warm months.
The rounded, layered structure closely mimics certain bird nests, especially after weather strips away outer layers. By late fall, most colonies die off, leaving empty nests that persist through winter.
Always observe from a safe distance since some nests might still be active.