Squirrel

Animalia

In experiments, grey squirrels exhibited the ability to differentiate between healthy acorns and those infested with weevils. The squirrels not only cached and dispersed the healthy acorns at a significantly higher rate but also consumed the infested acorns more frequently. This behavior suggests that grey squirrels could significantly influence the dispersal and growth of oak trees by actively selecting and storing healthy acorns. This is particularly important as stored acorns have a higher potential to germinate into new oak trees. - Caching and Feeding Decisions by Sciurus carolinensis: Responses to Weevil-Infested Acorns