[NatureNS] Butternut seedlings

Received-SPF: pass (kirk.glinx.com: authenticated connection) receiver=kirk.glinx.com; client-ip=208.103.231.205; helo=D58WQPH1; envelope-from=dwebster@glinx.com; x-software=spfmilter 2.001 http://www.acme.com/software/spfmilter/ with libspf2-1.2.10;
From: "David & Alison Webster" <dwebster@glinx.com>
To: <NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2015 20:24:44 -0300
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


Dear All,                                Oct 27, 2015
    Over the last 3-4 years I have been seeing Butternut seedlings in the 
yard; some new ones every year and most in the vicinity of a large Ash tree. 
I have yet to see any animal carrying the nuts so I continue to wonder what 
agent moves them. Some 6-8 children play in nearby yards and they might move 
them but I can't see this happening year after year. To judge from the 
droppings on the tiers of wood, and excavations at the base of an old-growth 
compost heap, our yard is Raccoon Central but surely a Raccoon would not try 
to eat a Butternut.
    One of the Western Woodpeckers (Acorn) has a slick way of eating the 
elongated Acorns of some western Oak species. It drills a hole in a tree 
just large enough to hold an Acorn, shoves one in the hole pointed end first 
and then eats the insides after pecking the proximal end away. More often 
they drill many holes in a tree and store Acorns for off season use.
    We have Hairy Woodpeckers in and out of that Ash tree many times per 
week (10-20 ?) so I am wondering if they sometimes use or try to use the 
sharp crotch of Ash branches to hold a Butternut so they can peel the husk 
away enough to open the nut.
    I tried eating Butternuts some decades ago and, drawing on memory, the 
husk is readily removed after leaf-fall and the meat is rich and good to eat 
without any treatment.
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville

 

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects