The traditional season of harvest and the gatherings of families and friends is at hand. A celebratory holdover from past generations who were completely dependent upon the land for food and other critical resources, in November one counted their blessings collectively or tightened their belt individually for a long and dismal winter.
Today’s residents of panhandle Florida are far removed from the threat of total privation during the winter. A favored brand or product may be missing from the shelves temporarily, but multiple substitutes are always available.
The wild animals living in the region’s undeveloped areas may still face the perils of starvation as the season shifts to a period of plant dormancy. The diets of herbivores and omnivores are shifting from the diminishing fresh greens to seeds, nuts and roots.
Fortunately, there is one genus of trees which is a bountiful producer of nuts, most years. Oaks across the area supply acorns to a wide variety of animals and birds.
An oak seedling, possibly planted by a squirrel, struggles in its first year of growth. Those which survive may grow into large trees which support the local animals and birds.
In the genus Quercus, which fittingly means oak tree in Latin, there are about 90 species native to the U.S. In north Florida there are 13 native species which flourish, depending on the geography.
The two most common in north Florida are Water Oaks and Swamp Laurel Oaks. Both species prefer the locally sandy soils and can be plentifully found near swamps and wet lowlands.
Curiously, both of these oak species are highly favored by a type of gall wasp as an incubation site in some locales. The eggs are inserted under tender bark on twigs and small branches.
The tree’s reaction is to produce a bulbous blister, sometimes with a circumference of a half dollar coin. While they may appear from the ground to be extra-large acorns, their appearance only benefits the tiny native wasp.
Acorns are currently falling from the area’s oaks, aided by breezes which sway the branches during weather events. Almost all land in close proximity to the parent tree.
Deer are taking advantage of the high carbohydrates and fat content of oak acorns in concentrated quantities. Going into mating season, they need the extra energy to endure the rigors of cooler weather and the selective environment.
Deer hunters know the importance of this critical nutritional resource needed by their quarry. Tree stands abound in and around oaks during the autumn hunting season.
Grey squirrels are also quick to take advantage of the easily portable snack. Darting from a protected site, these bushy-tailed tree rodents will sample the acorns and then quickly retreat back to the elevated branches of the oak.
Their urgency is not based on hunger, but survival. In an open and exposed area, they can quickly become the meal of a hawk or other predatory bird.
When the bounty of these hard-shelled nuts exceeds the gastric capacity of a squirrel, hiding for future use begins. Stashes of acorns will be hidden above and below the soil line.
Not known to be especially frugal or environmentally conscious, many of the stored resources will be retrieved by squirrels over the winter. A few however are left to germinate the following spring and replace trees which have aged out.
Any of the local oaks, along with some exotic varieties, can be a beneficial addition to a home landscape. Their heavy shade and filtered light will affect other plant selections for use in residential settings and will support urban adapted wildlife.
If the tree is properly maintained, the homeowner can be host to autumn’s and winter’s wildlife festivities for decades to come. The visitors may not offer an appreciative acknowledgement, still they will return year after year.
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