Who is eating the pine seeds?

Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2011 12:45:23 -0400
From: nabooko
Subject: Who is eating the pine seeds?

I have lived at my present location for 35 years-  just east of Pittsboro. I have plenty of trees- a lot of older pine trees- some 85-90 feet tall. Yet, I have never had an abundance of pine cones on the ground.  Generally any I find are the dried, very open ones with no seed. Sometimes I do find a heavy, unopened  seeded one that the weather has brought down.

Two days ago, I noticed on the ground, in great profusion, parts or petals from pine cones. The more I looked, the more I found- they were in the hundreds. Then I started finding very well picked/chewed pine cone cores/centers- with nary a seed in sight. They had to have been eaten/chewed up in the trees, due to the distribustion of petals on the ground. My images show a hard green pine cone- very difficult to open the petals to get to the seeds.-

I have very few squirrels and have not noticed any bird activity in the trees –  One sure thing though- I do notice there are next to no pine cones up there.

Anyone know what is going on? Any ancient sages know if this is a “sign”? Hope it is a sign of long life, great health and wealth.

N.A. Booko

Click on web-link below to see what I’m talkin ’bout.

www.mindspring.com/~expectations/pine.jpg