Squirrel Tables and Other Hommages to the Critter
In honor of National Squirrel Appreciation Day, Christy Hargrove has created Squirrel tables and other homages to the critter. People have diverse feelings about squirrels. Some love them, others despise them, while others view them as rabies vectors. Here are just a few reasons why we love squirrels. In addition to their cuteness, they are clever creatures.
Squirrel tables
If you’ve been out of work due to a coronavirus, you might be wondering, “When do we want squirrel tables?” In fact, you don’t need to wait that long. There’s a new kind of table on the market, which is made of miniature wooden picnic tables. It’s called a “squirrel table,” and it comes with a wide eating surface and large seats. It’s handmade in Minnesota from natural pine wood. It measures a little under 12″ square by 8″ in size, and is made of solid pine. The table comes with predrilled holes for hanging.
One of the most famous images of a squirrel table is of Leslie the Squirrel, who is an interloper from Denver with several hundred followers. Leslie’s table is adorned with blue-and-white ceramic bowls and fresh flowers in miniature vases. The squirrel eats from pine nuts, acorns, and even dumpsters. The table is so popular that you can buy it for as little as $20 and include a picnic blanket and peanuts. It’s a very cute idea, and Davidson hopes that others will follow suit.
National Squirrel Appreciation Day
In 2001, wildlife rehabilitator Christy Hargrove, of North Carolina, came up with the idea for National Squirrel Appreciation day. She wanted people to recognize the importance of squirrels in our world and to find solutions to the growing food shortage. During the winter months, squirrels often go without food, which makes them appreciate the food we leave out for them. In addition to offering food, you can leave pieces of stale bread on your porch to attract them. Another great way to attract squirrels to your home is to coat pinecones with peanut butter.
Squirrels can be so fascinating to watch. These creatures are incredibly tenacious in their pursuit of food. You can find some amazing videos of them navigating obstacle courses. They use their tails to balance themselves while searching for nuts, which is why they’re often called ‘nutcrackers’. Then you can go back and try to capture one on camera! Remember to carry a camera and Trix for Great Pics!
Squirrels are clever
If you have ever watched a squirrel dig a hole and retrieve food, you may be a bit surprised at how clever these creatures are. These clever little creatures follow a nearly straight path to their hidden storage locations, and they even give themselves directions in the process. It’s a bit like humans, who use landmarks to find things and then return to the same location later. This strategy is quite effective when there are several squirrels nearby.
The reason squirrels are so smart is because they have learned to use our society to their advantage. While they may not be as cunning as we are, these animals have adapted to life in the toughest urban environments of North America. In fact, they have developed a number of deceptive behaviors and learned to use humans to their advantage. According to Steve Sullivan, curator of urban ecology and head of the Chicago Academy of Sciences’ Project Squirrel, squirrels have developed an ability to deceive humans.
They bury nuts
Have you ever wondered why squirrels bury nuts? We know that squirrels bury nuts, but do they really remember where they hid them? Well, it turns out that they do, and we can learn a lot from them! This study, conducted by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, was published in the Royal Society of Open Science journal. These researchers found that squirrels sort nuts by size, taste, and nutritional value. And they can remember where they buried them, so that they can easily find them again.
Squirrels are extremely resourceful when it comes to finding nuts, using their multi-sensory abilities to locate a specific location to bury them. Often they will use the same patch of ground, if it’s a convenient one. Using this sensory system, they can also detect the scent of buried nuts by peering into the ground, sniffing, and detecting disturbed soil.
They are hoarders
Squirrels are notorious for hoarding food. These rodents search out human dwellings for food, causing some pretty messy situations. While all squirrels are hoarders, different species can be more or less destructive. Michigan is home to the red and eastern gray species, both of which are notorious for hoarding food. Read on to learn more about these animals and how to stop them.
Squirrels tend to hoard food in groups, often based on size, quality, and nutritional value. They also tend to cluster foods in a specific location, such as a solitary tree. Sometimes, squirrels will scatter less desirable finds around their territory. They might not eat them, but they keep them in a place where they can be easily found.
They are a vital part of the environment
Unlike our other animals, squirrels are more likely to respond to our sounds and movements than to other animals’. For instance, a man who was feeding a squirrel was talking and gestating, but the squirrel soon approached on all fours and took the nut from his hand. A man who did not notice the squirrel feeding him was able to feed it again after three minutes.
The American red squirrel has larger body mass and stronger jaw muscles, as well as a more robust lower jaw. The Douglas squirrel lives in a maritime climate and does not burn trees, but its cones are softer and have a weak point where they attach to the stem. The Douglas squirrel has smaller body size and weaker jaw muscles. Nevertheless, it is a vital part of the environment, and its presence is necessary to sustain it.
How much notice do we need to give when we want to use the vacation policy?
Two weeks.
How many vacation days do we get per year?
10
When can we start using our vacation days?
After 6 months of employment
Do we need our supervisor’s approval to take vacation days?
Yes
Do we accrue vacation days while we are on leave?
No
How many vacation days can we carry over to the next year?
5
What happens to our vacation days if we leave the company?
We are not paid out for them.
Can we take vacation days in half-day increments?
Yes
What is the minimum amount of time we can take off for vacation?
1 day
Do we have to use all of our vacation days in a year?
No but if we don’t they will be forfeited.
Can we take vacation days before we have completed our probationary period?
No
Can we bank vacation days to use later?
No we must use them in the year they are earned.
What is the maximum amount of vacation days we can take at one time?
2 weeks
Do we need to provide a reason for taking vacation days?
No
Can we take vacation days while we are on sick leave?
No
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
