The acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is a larder hoarder that stores acorns in a hole drilled in a dead or live tree.
The acorns eventually rot and draw insects, and the woodpeckers then return and consume acorns and insects.
The woodpecker carefully drilled his hole in the telephone pole.
Looking for beetles, thought a passerby.
He filled the hole with acorns, wedging them such that they could not be removed by pliers.
Stored up for the winter, thought lineman #1.
Time passed. Grubs and beetles arrived.
Gone rotten, thought lineman #2. I guess he forgot them—maybe he's dead.
He cleaned and dried the hole.
Copyright © by Matthew Hammond September 2008