Squirrels! They are a fairly common sight, scampering around yards, climbing trees, and sneaking seeds from neighborhood birdfeeders. But did you know squirrels have an entire month dedicated to them? That's right! October marks Squirrel Awareness Month.
Squirrels come from the family Sciuridae, which includes small or medium-sized rodents. They are on the smaller side with long bodies, big eyes, and bushy tails. Squirrels are excellent climbers and jumpers and can rotate their feet 180 degrees to hang from trees upside down. They come in a variety of colors worldwide, and their diet includes nuts, seeds, conifer cones, buds, fruits, and fungi.
Fun Fact: A group of squirrels is called a dray or scurry.
In Florida, the three most common squirrels are the Eastern Gray Squirrel, the Fox Squirrel, and the Southern Flying Squirrel.
Eastern Gray Squirrels are notorious backyard birdfeeder thieves, munching on birdseed and making a bit of a mess. When they aren't sneaking into birdfeeders, these squirrels busy themselves with burying nuts - like acorns - to store for later and in doing so help with seed dispersal for trees.
Fox Squirrels are the largest tree squirrels in Florida and spend much of their time foraging on the ground instead of in trees. They live in open woods, pine and cypress stands, and mangrove swamps. They have a variety of colorations including brownish-gray with orange bellies, dark brown or black with white bands, or uniform black coats. Fox Squirrels are protected from hunting in Florida as two of the four subspecies - Southern Fox Squirrel and the Big Cypress Fox Squirrel - are a species of special concern and a threatened species.
The Southern Flying Squirrel, or Glaucomys volans, is a unique little creature with folds of skin called a patagium between its limbs allowing it to glide through the air. They are more common than one might expect, but being strictly nocturnal and living high up in tree canopies makes them less common to spot!
Did you know that in Norse mythology, the squirrel Ratatoskr climbed up and down the world tree Yggdrasil to pass messages between the eagles at the top and the serpent in the roots?
Want to keep an eye on your friendly neighborhood squirrels? Check out our Birding Kits!
Girl Versus Squirrel
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One resourceful girl. One determined squirrel.
Pearl has built three bird feeders--one looks like a house, one looks like a tube, and one looks like a teacup because it is a teacup. After she fills the bird feeders she sits back to enjoy the show--until a squirrel scares the birds away and gobbles up all the peanuts in the teacup.
This will never do, and Pearl declares that girl versus squirrel is on.
She raises the teacup higher and higher and finally builds an obstacle course to deter the squirrel. Does she succeed? Of course not--but Pearl learns that sometimes it is best--and can even be fun--to find a way to compromise.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl & the Great Lakes Avengers
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She kicks butts and eats nuts! They get stuck in ruts and shoot themselves in the foot(s)! But could Squirrel Girl be just what the Great Lakes Avengers need to propel them into the big leagues? Or will she be the death of them? The same questions apply to new foe/recruit Deadpool (who spills guts), but he's just playing second fiddle to 'dorable Doreen. Follow Squirrel Girl's complete adventures with the GLA (or is that GLI? GLX? GLC? It changes a lot!)
Lucky
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A classic animal adventure story featuring dueling squirrel clans, peace-keeping dogs, interspecies friendships, and unlikely heroes.
Lucky, a lost little squirrel, finds himself in Albion Park surrounded by native squirrels that are very big, very tough, and VERY different than him. He needs lots of luck to fit in, and even more to pass the Squirrel Trial that will give him a permanent place in the park. But when he discovers a plot that threatens his new home, he'll need more than just good fortune to set things right.
Squirrel World: A Park Pals Adventure
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Squirrels Lexington (Lexi) and Lenox decide to visit the New York City streets they were named after. Lexi is worried about leaving Central Park, but Lenox is confident that their streets will be beautiful places, maybe even better than the park!
When the two squirrels venture into the city, they soon realize that the human world is stranger and more dangerous than they'd ever imagined. This fourth exciting Park Pals tale brings back the fun, adventure, and favorite furry characters that this award-winning series is known for.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl - Volume 1: Squirrel Power
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Wolverine, Deadpool, Doctor Doom, Thanos: There's one hero that's beaten them all-and now she's got her own ongoing series! (Not that she's bragging.) That's right, you asked for it, you got it, it's SQUIRREL GIRL! (She's also starting college this semester.) It's the start of a brand-new set of adventures starring the nuttiest and most upbeat superhero in the world!
Sami the Samurai Squirrel: Welcome to Woodbriar Vol. 1
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Action, adventure, and comedy await, as Sami the samurai squirrel and friends embark on a quest to solve a mystery that's been haunting the village of Woodbriar for years.
A hooded ghost named Visper has been watching Sami from the shadows. Who is Visper? What does he want? Join the fun, as Sami encounters ninja monkeys, hungry pirates and a cranky Cyber-Yeti in this action-packed series from creator Scoot McMahon. Also featuring an exclusive story co-written by famous cartoonists Art Baltazar and Franco! Aw Yeah!
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl : Squirrel Meets World
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WHO RUNS THE WORLD? SQUIRRELS!
Fourteen-year-old Doreen Green moved from sunny California to the suburbs of New Jersey. She must start at a new school, make new friends, and continue to hide her tail. Yep, Doreen has the powers of . . . a squirrel!
After failing at several attempts to find her new BFF, Doreen feels lonely and trapped, liked a caged animal. Then one day Doreen uses her extraordinary powers to stop a group of troublemakers from causing mischief in the neighborhood, and her whole life changes. Everyone at school is talking about it! Doreen contemplates becoming a full-fledged Super Hero. And thus, Squirrel Girl is born!
She saves cats from trees, keeps the sidewalks clean, and dissuades vandalism. All is well until a real-life Super Villain steps out of the shadows and declares Squirrel Girl his archenemy. Can Doreen balance being a teenager and a Super Hero? Or will she go . . . NUTS?
Harry's Squirrel Trouble
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Harry, the mischievous little white dog with black spots, isn't happy when the children blame him for a squirrel's bad behavior. When he tries to explain what happened, he only makes it worse. Can Harry find a way out of trouble?
Harry's Squirrel Trouble is a Level One I Can Read and Guided Reading Level J, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books support success for children eager to start reading on their own.
Created in the style of Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham, this is an irresistible I Can Read story featuring a classic children's book character--perfect for young dog lovers and fans of Harry the Dirty Dog!
Sophie the Squirrel
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Enter an enchanted world of animal friends! Perfect for fans of Holly Webb, Rainbow Magic, Secret Kingdom and Magic Kitten. Each cute animal has its own pair of pretty fairy wings, and a special job to do in Misty Wood to make it a wonderful place to live.
Sophie the Squirrel can't wait for the Misty Wood fair! She and her friends are going to perform a special dance. But when they try to practice, things keep going wrong. Sophie is upset - she's sure it's all her fault. Maybe some Misty Wood magic is what she needs!