We have some big pine trees in our yard, and this time of year they start dropping pine cones.
This is what they look like, they're about 6 inches long.
A funny thing has happened this year.
and this!
Apparently, the squirrels are enjoying them. They have a few places they take them to and leave the remainders looking like corn cobs. You can also see all the little "petals" from the cones laying on the ground, all dry and brown. So I really don't know what the squirrels are doing with them and it's not something we've seen in years past.
There's no real point to this post, but I thought it was interesting and a little funny, so I thought you might too!
20 comments:
Hi dear Mari, this is interesting and witty 😄
I love your pictures, dear friend.
The pine cones I sometimes see here in Montreal are smaller and fatter...not as long as yours. As well, they are all a brownish colour, I have never seen any green 💚 ones.
I have heard that squirrels like them but I haven't seen any squirrels in my area carrying them. But then again, this doesn't mean they don't.
It is very interesting! Maybe drought? Or weather changes? The squirrels must know something that we don't.
It is indeed interesting! I can totally see squirrels enjoying these pine cones like they're at a barbecue : ))
I also have never seen long pine cones like that! You must tell us what kind of pine that it is. Squirrels eat pine cones just like we eat corn on the cob. They are eating the seeds.
Oh wow! I have never seen pinecones that long, the ones I have seen have always been rounder, like a oval shape. It sounds like the squirrels are really loving them!
Interesting about the squirrels. I didn’t know they ate the pinecones.
This is according to google...Squirrels eat the seeds inside pinecones and not the pinecones themselves. They pick young green or brown female pinecones because these have nourishing seeds inside that squirrels find delicious. I believe this winter is predicted to be very cold so maybe they're storing up.
It's always interesting to see nature from your home country. Here in Finland there are no such big cones.
I think it is interesting that this is a new fad, not something they have done before. I wonder where the squirrels got the idea? Did someone new move to their neighborhood and tell them about it? Did one random brave squirrel try a new bite and share the recipe? I do think it is a fun new fact.
I was curious and asked AI about this. Here is part of the answer I got... Yes, squirrels absolutely eat these. However, they don't eat the woody green structure itself. Instead, they chew them apart to get to the highly nutritious seeds hidden inside.This is an unripe, green Norway spruce cone. It is a highly sought-after food source for tree squirrels, especially red squirrels and gray squirrels.
Is it a sign from nature that this is going to be a Hard winter in your area? Squirrels stoking up for when times get tough for them. They are obviously eating the pine nuts and leaving the "cobs" behind.
Really interesting !!
Sue
Squirrels. We have the suicidal variety here as demonstrated by how they often run up to our bicycle wheels before recognizing (almost too late!) that they are tempting their fate!
That is interesting. Haven' seen that before and yes they do look like corn cobs.
I love interesting little tidbits like this! It's not something I've ever seen before, but now I'll be looking closer at pinecones when I see them!
Squirrels do get something out of the pine cones...not sure exactly what...seeds I think...they do the same thing here. There must be something good in there that they like. Those are some big pine cones!
I copied this from AI: Squirrels do not actually eat the woody part of the pine cone; instead, they strip off the outer scales to eat the nutrient-rich pine seeds hidden inside.How Squirrels Eat Pine ConesCorn-on-the-Cob Style: As most users on Quora agree, squirrels use their sharp front teeth and paws to twirl the pine cone, biting off the scales from the bottom up to expose the seeds.Teeth Maintenance: Because a squirrel's front teeth never stop growing, chewing on tough cones also helps grind down their teeth to a healthy length.Winter Storage: Squirrels (especially red squirrels) gather fresh pine cones in late summer and store them in large piles called middens to keep the cones from drying out and releasing their seeds before winter.
This is strange. I didn't know they would eat pine cones!
That's interesting about the squirrels ... perhaps they know something we don't.
All the best Jan
PS Happy 1st of September.
I have never seen such long green pinecones. Our yard looks a lot like that with the little brown pieces the squirrels leave. Our green pinecones are smaller. Mari, I enjoyed your last post so much with all your family. I read it but didn't get around to commenting. You have such a nice family!
That's very interesting, Mari. I wonder what is different about this year as opposed to years in the past?
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