[MassChestnutOrchards] Squirrels

[Frank Howard]

Dear Rufin, Your test results are very interesting.  We still have a  
lot to learn about preferences of wildlife. Gratefully, Frank
On Oct 10, 2009, at 4:55 PM, <rufin at charter.net> wrote:

> I have thought that squirrels prefer chestnuts over other nuts. I  
> tried a small test.
> I am at the Cape and there a lot of the critters here and not many  
> acorns. Yesterday at 11:am I put out 10 chestnuts, 10 white oak  
> acorns 10 black walnuts 10 shagbark hickory nuts, 10 red oak  
> acorns  and 9 butternuts.
> At dark none were gone
> This morning at 8 AM all chestnuts were gone, 1 hickory nut gone, 8  
> white oak acorns gone, no butternuts or walnuts gone, 4 red oak  
> acorns gone. By 11:am only 8 butternuts and 8 walnuts left. By4:pm  
> onyl 7 walnuts and 7 butternuts left. How do these squirrels know  
> that foul smelling walnut and butter nut coverings cover something  
> good to eat as these squirrels probably have never before come  
> across them because none of those species are near here?
>
> Rufin
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