Chicago, IL–Crunch, crunch, crunch. The sound of fall leaves underfoot? Maybe, but probably a lot of acorns, too.
You may have noticed an abundance of acorns this fall. It’s not because the squirrels can’t keep up. Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL reports that this is a natural phenomenon called a mast year. The warm, dry spring caused the oak trees to go into hyperdrive producing flowers and the wind assisted with pollination. Hence the acorn monsoon.
The end result? Look for lots of little oaks next spring, and perhaps a few squirrels that need to go on a diet.