TheMondayGarden.com, Eco-gardening at its best
February 19, Issue 194
In Issue 187, "Growing up Squirrel", it was noted that "Red squirrels are said to be very adept at tapping the twigs of sugar maples and similar trees for the nutritious, high-carb spring sap. There are mixed reports on whether gray squirrels have also widely perfected this art."
This squirrel, in Scalzi Park this past week, has clearly mastered the technique and was willing to demonstrate it for TheMondayGarden.com.
step 1: select a likely branch of a silver maple tree -- one of the first trees to wake in spring. (You could also use a red maple; later in the season, sugar maples or Norway maples can be used.)
step 2: bite the branch sharply to make a clean incision.
step 3: catch the sap with your tongue.
Wasn't that easy?
Photo credits: Sue Sweeney © Sue Sweeney 2006
Comments (2)
Oh my goodness, how adorable is this?! We love our squirrels and are entertained by them daily. They now come to our glass door to "knock" for peanuts, and when they see us in the kitchen they come to the screen to be sure we notice them. Spoiled rotten, they are! I never realized until the experiences we have with ours just how intelligent they are!
But, come to think of it, if I had to remember every place I hid a nut in order to eat I would have no weight problems whatsoever! So, we know they have a great memory or that there is no such thing as squirrel menopause!
Posted by Sky | February 26, 2006 3:33 AM
Posted on February 26, 2006 03:33
I really enjoy you photos ot the squirrels...I just happen to nick-name my wife "squirrel" amd I would like to have a nice photo to use as my pc screen wall-paper,if you wouldn`t mind.
Posted by ca smith | April 4, 2006 6:05 PM
Posted on April 4, 2006 18:05