Raccoons are highly adaptable mammals often found in diverse environments, including urban and suburban areas. These creatures are classified as omnivores, meaning their diet consists of both plant and animal matter. Fruit forms a notable component of their diet, especially when it is readily available in their habitat. Their ability to consume a wide range of food sources allows them to thrive in various settings where food availability fluctuates.
Fruits Raccoons Commonly Consume
Raccoons consume a variety of fruits, preferring ripe or overripe ones for their higher sugar content. They eat apples, cherries, grapes, and various berries such as blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
Cultivated orchard fruits like plums, peaches, and pears are also part of their diet. Corn, particularly sweet corn, is also a common target in agricultural fields. Melons, including watermelon and cantaloupe, are another favored fruit source, especially when softened or ripe.
The Raccoon’s Adaptable Diet
While fruits are a significant food source, raccoons maintain a broad diet, reflecting their opportunistic nature. Their food choices vary considerably based on seasonal availability and regional factors. They consume invertebrates like insects, grubs, and earthworms, along with small mammals such as mice and voles.
They also eat aquatic animals like fish, frogs, and crayfish, which are particularly important in warmer months. Beyond natural sources, raccoons in urban environments frequently forage for human refuse, including food scraps from trash cans and pet food left outdoors. This dietary flexibility allows them to adapt to different habitats, from natural woodlands to human-populated areas.
How Raccoons Forage for Fruit
Raccoons employ several methods to locate and consume fruit. They are skilled climbers, enabling them to ascend trees to reach ripe fruits still on branches. Additionally, they scavenge fallen fruits from the ground.
Their highly sensitive front paws allow them to manipulate and identify objects by touch, aiding in foraging even in low light conditions. As nocturnal animals, raccoons primarily forage during the night, utilizing their keen sense of smell to detect food sources from a distance. This combination of traits makes them effective at finding and processing fruit.
Discouraging Raccoons from Your Fruit Trees
Homeowners can implement several strategies to deter raccoons from fruit trees. Promptly harvesting ripe fruit reduces the attractiveness of the trees. Regularly picking up any fallen fruit from the ground also eliminates an easy food source.
Securing outdoor trash cans with tight-fitting lids prevents raccoons from accessing refuse. Physical barriers, such as metal baffles or sheet metal wrapped around tree trunks, can make it difficult for raccoons to climb. Removing other attractants like pet food left outside also helps.