Of Oaks, Acorns, and Ants

Street Smart Naturalist · Oct 1, 2026 · 7m · transcript

Originally posted in October 2021 and still relevant as this seems to be a good mast year.

Over the past few weeks, I have been enjoying the acorns along Ravenna Boulevard, near our neighborhood. I first noticed them crunching under my tires as I rode along the road. Up to an inch long, the acorns were also abundant on the grass under the trees. Most lacked their handsome, little beret-like cupule but were still quite wonderful to behold and gather; I often see people harvesting acorns along the boulevard. Loaded with carbohydrates, proteins, and fat, acorns are a splendid food source for…