Discussion

About Chipmunks

When most people think of squirrels, they think of something like this lady; mostly one color except the front and touches here and there, lives in trees but comes to the ground to gather food, long bushy tail, etc. They have a reputation for being timid, even though they seem to thrive in human populated areas where there are trees, but this particular lady was noted for having been filmed aggressively defending her babies from a cobra.

Squirrels are a type of rodent native to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa. They were introduced to Australia by humans. Fossilized remains as old as 34 million years have been found. They all don't live in trees. Some are ground squirrels, living in burrows. Some even "fly", though gliding with outstretched membranes at their sides extending from their forelegs to their hindlegs is a better word for what they do. Squirrels' closest relatives outside the squirrel family (Sciuridae) are mountain beaver and dormice.

Chipmunks, part of this week's painting subject, are one type of ground squirrel. They are found mostly in North America, but some are in Asia. 

Like tree squirrels, chipmunks have tails that are long in comparison to their body length but that are not as bushy. They have 5 stripes running down their backs and three on their face.

Chipmunks are often confused with golden mantled ground squirrels which also have stripes on their backs but none on their faces, though there is a white ring around each eye.

Golden mantled ground squirrels are a little larger than chipmunks and have proportionately shorter tails. They are true hibernators. They build up to 30% of their weight in fat before winter comes and hibernating starts. Chipmunks stash food away before winter. They sleep a lot but wake up from time to time to eat.

Small though they may be, chipmunks can be pretty active.

Chipmunks are omnivores. Much of their diet is seeds, grass, shoots and other plant matter. They also eat insects, worms, small frogs, and bird eggs. They have sometimes been known to eat baby birds, too. Some birds return the favor by eating them. Chipmunks have cheek pouches that allow them to carry quantities of food to storage areas rather than having to constantly run back and forth when foraging.

Like most mammals, chipmunks care for their young. Mothers provide transportation in their mouths on occasion.

Eventually, the kids grow up, and soon, more chipmunks are on the way.

About Oak Trees

There are approximately 500 species of oak tree around the world. The country with the most number of native oak species is Mexico with 160. China is next with 100 species, and the U.S. has 90. Some oaks shed their leaves annually, and some are evergreen. Oaks (Quercus) are a member of the beach family.

The primary means of distinguishing between different types of oak is the overall shape of the tree and the shape of the leaves. This chart shows some of the most common oaks in North America.

Oaks are resistant to insect and fungal attack because of high levels of tannin in the leaves and acorns. Tannin is toxic to many insects, and when eaten in large quantities, can be deadly to livestock. Curiously, domestic pigs are immune. Humans can eat acorns if the tannin is leached first.

This southern live oak may be the oldest oak tree in America, being an estimated 300 to 400 years old. Called Angel Oak, it is located in Angel Oak Park on Johns Island, South Carolina. It is 65 feet tall and its trunk is 25.5 feet in circumference. It shades an area of 17,000 square feet.

An oak that is native to East Asia including Japan is this Daimyo Oak, also known as the Japanese Emperor Oak. 

Daimyo Oak leaves are among the largest among all oak leaves.

Artwork

Qi Baishi (1864 – 1957)

Qi was born to a Chinese peasant family. He taught himself to paint using the Mustard Seed Garden, a text recommended for students of this class (see the Home page). He is known for his wide range of painting subjects. This painting doesn't have an oak tree in it, but it does have two squirrels.