Squirrels and radicchio
Adaptable local wildlife seem to be quite happy eating 'local' and enjoying the delicacies that I provide for them.
Our woodchuck (quite at home in the brush pile way back towards the woods) is feasting on tromboncino squash leaves, much to my annoyance, but at least s/he doesn't like tomatoes, eggplant, or yard-long beans. Fortunately, there's so much other summer squash this year, thanks to the relative absence of squash vine borers, I can't really complain. (Uh, I do keep setting my Havahart trap, but this woodchuck is much too canny to think that's inviting, even with Chuckster bait).
To my amazement this evening, though, I saw a squirrel (again) scampering off down the side fence with a huge radicchio leaf in (presumably her) mouth. She stopped, and started nibbling, but when I came closer, ran off with her prize.
I didn't have my camera, but there was definite evidence last year, and the year before that, I saw this (nursing) female squirrel enjoying a radicchio leaf in about the same spot. Quite remarkable.
Our woodchuck (quite at home in the brush pile way back towards the woods) is feasting on tromboncino squash leaves, much to my annoyance, but at least s/he doesn't like tomatoes, eggplant, or yard-long beans. Fortunately, there's so much other summer squash this year, thanks to the relative absence of squash vine borers, I can't really complain. (Uh, I do keep setting my Havahart trap, but this woodchuck is much too canny to think that's inviting, even with Chuckster bait).
To my amazement this evening, though, I saw a squirrel (again) scampering off down the side fence with a huge radicchio leaf in (presumably her) mouth. She stopped, and started nibbling, but when I came closer, ran off with her prize.I didn't have my camera, but there was definite evidence last year, and the year before that, I saw this (nursing) female squirrel enjoying a radicchio leaf in about the same spot. Quite remarkable.
The squash vine borers are all in Fort Mill eating my pumpkin plants!
ReplyDeleteI have seen more Groundhogs this year than any other year.....maybe it is the year of the critter!
ReplyDeleteI have a melon thief-- our ONE squirrel, I expect. Melon and radicchio-- furry rodents certainly have good taste!
ReplyDeleteTree rats! - Dave
ReplyDeleteOh, dear, we all have different critters to contend with, but I love CEN's image of a sophisticated squirrel enjoying melon and radicchio.
ReplyDeleteNow, Dave, 'tree rats' is a bit harsh -- they're certainly pesky, but hardly in the 'rat' category. (Uh, but I do have a story about my otherwise peaceful gardening companion trying to flush a young squirrel down a gutter pipe early one Sunday morning back in the days we had them up in the attic!) Expensive new gutters, gutter guards, and new roof took care of that.
We caught an opposum last night in the Havahart trap, but there's no sign the woodchuck(s) are interested. Hhrmph.