Foraging patterns of eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) on goldenrod gall insects, a potentially important winter food resource

From: The American Midland Naturalist | Date: July 1, 1999| Author: | Copyright information

ABSTRACT.-We document the use of goldenrod (Solidago spp.) gall insects by eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) as a winter food resource. We also examined the foraging patterns of gray squirrels on these gall insects by presenting goldenrod gall feeders at ten sites around Hamilton, New York, during the winters of 1996-1997 and 1997-1998. We predicted that squirrels would attack larger-than-average galls among those presented because larger galls are more likely to contain the larger fly larvae (Eurosta solidaginis), rather than the smaller parasitoid (Eurytoma gigantea) or nothing ...

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