16 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



INSECTS AS TH?: FOOD OF SQUIRRELS. 



BY WM. T. DAVIS, NEW BRIGHTON, N. Y. 



Toward the end of August and ear!y in September many acorns, with 

 their cups attached, fall from the oaks and lie beneath the parent trees. 

 When first they reach the ground they look perfect, but directly the 

 Balanuius larvtie begin to bore out through the cups and enter 

 the ground, as is their habit. When they escape from hickory-nuts, the 

 larvfe of these long-snouted beetles choose the thin places between the 

 ridges, which are so characteristic of the shell-bark nuts, for instance, and 

 the easiest way out from an acorn must be through its base and cup. The 

 larvae, however, may be cut short at this part of their development, for 

 they are much sought after by squirrels, who seem to esteem them highly. 

 The problem that presents itself to the squirrel is to tell which acorns 

 contain larvae. He makes, considering the conditions, the simplest and 

 most direct test. He bites a small part of the cup off so as to expose the 

 base of the acorn, and then punctures it slightly. He can, no doubt, tell 

 very quickly by the odour if there is a larva within, and if such proves to 

 be the case, the hole is enlarged and the much-desired morsel secured. I 

 have found on Staten Island scores of the large acorns of the red oak that 

 had been treated as mentioned above, and on another occasion many 

 scarlet-oak acorns that had been treated in the same way, ail of which goes 

 to show how enterprising and intelligent the squirrels really are. 



Another example of the insect-eating habit of a squirrel was observed 

 at Lakehurst, N. J., where beneath a pitch-pine tree, mid the scattered 

 remains of many cones, from which the seeds had been extracted, were 

 found a number of Clisiocampa cocoons. They had been brought from a 

 near-by wild-cherry tree, that had been badly eaten by these larvte, and still 

 contained some of their old tents. Each cocoon had been opened either at 

 the end or side, and the pupa extracted. Certainly in this instance the 

 squirrel did a good act, and also showed his liking for insects.. 



On the 29th of June, some years ago, I saw a chipmunk catch a moth, 

 pull off its wings, and eat it. I have often fed captive gray and flying 

 squirrels bits of raw meat, so their fondness for j^rt/rt;;?/;/?/^ larvae and other 

 insects is not to be wondered at, but what is chiefly of interest is the 

 intelligence shown in making their captures. 



January, 1907 



