When the days get shorter and the air turns cool, animals get busy. They are getting ready for winter, long before the first snow.
Key idea
In fall, animals store food, grow thicker coats, eat extra to build fat, or gather to fly south.
Why it works
In winter, plants stop making seeds, nuts and berries, and many insects disappear. So animals get ready while food is still easy to find. Shorter days and cooler air are the signal that winter is coming.
Worked example: Let's think it through
Why does a squirrel bury acorns in the fall?
- In fall, oak trees drop lots of acorns.
- In winter, there will be none on the trees.
- The squirrel saves some now and digs them up later.
Answer: So it has food in winter.
Common mistake
Children often think animals are surprised by winter. Many start getting ready in late summer and fall, when the days get shorter and food is still easy to find.
For the grown-up. In fall, watch a squirrel for a few minutes and count how many nuts it buries. Squirrels forget some of them, which is how many new oak trees get planted (see Living Things Change Their Surroundings).