Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
An Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) chews on crispy Blackberry (Rubus sp.) canes at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, in Houston, TX, USA. It's unclear exactly what the Squirrel is eating once it chews through the woody exterior, but I assume it's either the pith inside the canes or some sort of insect larvae hiding in the stalks.
I didn't realize Squirrels would try to chew through brambles like this. I would have assumed that the prickles would have protected Blackberries from foraging, but I guess not in this case.
An Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) chews on crispy Blackberry (Rubus sp.) canes at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, in Houston, TX, USA. It's unclear exactly what the Squirrel is eating once it chews through the woody exterior, but I assume it's either the pith inside the canes or some sort of insect larvae hiding in the stalks.
I didn't realize Squirrels would try to chew through brambles like this. I would have assumed that the prickles would have protected Blackberries from foraging, but I guess not in this case.
