Learning Foraging Tips from wild animals

Today is the first sunny day we have had in several weeks. At 44 degrees we are finally having temperatures that are about normal for our area. I am hoping the extremely warm weather that has all the trees sprouting in December are over with.

Anyway, I went out to the back deck to check on the Camellias. That one bloom I showed a few days ago is still the only fully opened bloom. But there are several others on the verge of blooming and should be open in a few days.

Squirrels Love Camellia buds

Almost daily for the past week I have seen piles of tiny white leaves. From prior experience I knew the squirrels were stealing the flower buds and eating the juicy delectable centers and letting the outer petals fall to the deck. They do it every year and a couple of the squirrels are getting very friendly and will actually chatter at me through the kitchen window.

But I noticed they are only eating the White Flowered buds. I have 5 Camellias across the back of the deck and all 5 are a different variety. They are all edible, but each produces a different bloom (shape or color) and there are slight differences in the shape and color of the leaves.

Why do they only eat the white blooms when there are so many more blooms on the other plants. The only thing that makes sense is, they prefer the taste of the white blooms over the various shades of pinks, reds and purples in the other plants.

If you remember my original post on Camellias, Camellias sinensis is the main variety most people think of when they think of using Camellias for making tea. Makes you wonder if squirrels are caffeine addicts or something, lol.

Photos that show their preference

The above is the first plant on the right. It is covered in buds but they are all very tiny. None of them are what I would call “close” to opening.

The second tree from the right, by far has the biggest bloom bud and has more of them than the other plants. This is the plant where the one and only bloom so far opened, but as you can see, there are several in the process of opening.

Third from the right is another pinkish flowering variety. Its buds are not nearly as big, nor are there as many of them as the last plant. Even though there are plenty of buds within reach of the deck railing, the squirrels are not touching them.

These last 2 on the left are another pinkish variety and the white Camellia sinensis at the far left. There are a few buds on the next to last one, but the Camellia sinensis has been stripped almost completely bare at every level that can be reached from the deck, lol.

You can also easily see they are eating many of the top leaves from the Camellia sinensis. The individual limbs are not as tall even though the 3 left side trees were all trimmed at the same time.

Obviously, the squirrels have no idea this last one is Camellia sinensis, but it is obvious they know there is something different about it than the others. It is an instinct within them that is guiding them to the exact variety that we humans have found is the most desirable. But we choose based on science and they use innate abilities we don’t always believe exist.

You can learn a lot by paying attention to the ways of animals. If you happen across a stream or creek that animals will not drink from, it is best you do not drink from it.

If you happen across a plant that animals eat more readily than other nearby plants, that does not mean it is safe to eat as there are plants animals can eat that we humans cannot and visa versa. But it gives you a clue as to which plant in the area to investigate first. Just make sure you follow all the procedures I mentioned in Food Foraging 101- part 3, linked below.

Often my animals will behave strangely just before a bad storm that has not been predicted by the weather forecasters shows up. If you are outside and the animals turn their faces to the wind like they are enjoying it, you probably have nothing to worry about, even if the wind is stronger than normal. But if those same animals run for shelter or start whimpering at wind even though there is not a cloud in the sky, you will usually be better off to pay attention to them.

I have seen gentle dogs suddenly push their master backwards to the point of making them fall backwards. A few seconds later, a tree fell across where their master would have been. Animals can warn you when dangerous animals such as snakes are around, even if you have not seen them.

If you are in-tuned to your animals, they can be a great help to you in more ways than simply warning when a predator is nearby. But only if you pay attention to them.

My other food foraging posts you might be interested in

Edible Daylilies
Foraging Wild Edible Purslane
Edible Perennial Ground Nut
Fermenting Wild Greens
Food foraging plantain weed for food and medicine
Arugula a wonder food that self sows
garlic a must have for any survival garden
how to make diy garlic oil
One big beautiful camellia bloom
food foraging chicory
food foraging flowers you can eat
Pine Needle Tea
Borage
Cattails
Wild and Mock Strawberries
Seed Bombs
Clover
Fried Dandelion Flowers Recipe
Dandelions
Food Foraging 101 – part 1
Food Foraging 101 - part 2
Food Foraging 101- part 3