Squirrels are known for their energetic foraging, especially their distinctive behaviors related to gathering and storing nuts. Their industrious activities, particularly in autumn, highlight specialized abilities for managing food resources effectively.
The Squirrel’s Cheek Pouches
Not all squirrel species possess the expandable cheek pouches often associated with them. Tree squirrels, such as the common grey squirrel, do not have these specialized internal pockets. Instead, the ability to stuff multiple items into their cheeks is characteristic of ground squirrels and chipmunks. These pouches are distinct from the mouth cavity, functioning as temporary storage compartments located between the cheek and the jaw.
These expandable pouches enable ground squirrels to transport a considerable quantity of food. For instance, a ground squirrel can typically carry about two walnuts, six small chestnuts, eight acorns, or ten hazelnuts within its cheek pouches. Chipmunks, being smaller, can still manage an impressive load, often stuffing around nine acorns (four in each pouch and one held in their teeth) or three peanuts (one in each pouch and one in their teeth). The exact number of nuts an individual can carry varies depending on the squirrel’s species, the specific size of the nuts, and the individual animal’s capacity. This adaptation allows them to gather a large amount of food quickly and efficiently, minimizing the time they are exposed to potential predators in open foraging areas.
Why Squirrels Store Nuts
Squirrels engage in the behavior of collecting and storing nuts primarily for survival, ensuring food security during periods when resources become scarce. This strategy is particularly important as cooler weather approaches and food sources diminish, especially in preparation for winter. By gathering substantial amounts of food in advance, squirrels create a vital reserve that sustains them through challenging times.
The act of filling their cheek pouches and rapidly transporting food also serves to reduce their exposure to predators. Instead of consuming each nut immediately in an exposed area, squirrels can quickly collect multiple items and carry them to a safer location. Some species, like ground squirrels, rely on these stored provisions during brief wakeful periods if they enter a state of torpor, a reduced metabolic state, during the colder months. This efficient collection and storage system is a fundamental aspect of their adaptation to seasonal changes in food availability.
The Art of Nut Caching
After filling their cheek pouches, squirrels typically transport the nuts to various hiding spots rather than consuming them right away. This behavior is known as caching, and squirrels employ two main methods for storing their food.
Scatter hoarding involves burying individual nuts in numerous separate locations across their territory, a common practice among grey squirrels and fox squirrels. This dispersal minimizes the risk of losing their entire food supply if one cache is discovered by another animal.
In contrast, larder hoarding involves accumulating a large collection of nuts in a single, central location, such as a tree cavity or an underground den. Red squirrels, chipmunks, and some ground squirrels often utilize this method. This centralized storage can be easier to defend, although it presents a greater loss if discovered.
To retrieve their hidden stashes, squirrels rely on a combination of spatial memory and their sense of smell. They create mental maps of their territory, using landmarks to pinpoint cache locations, and their keen sense of smell helps them locate nuts, especially when visual cues are obscured by snow. A fascinating outcome of this caching behavior is that some forgotten nuts sprout into new trees, contributing to forest regeneration. Squirrels can even engage in “deceptive caching,” pretending to bury a nut to mislead potential onlookers.