Where Did All the Acorns Go?

First it was the bees. Then, something strange is happening to acorns: this year, there are no acorns in

"I'm used to seeing so many acorns around and out in the field, it's something I just didn't believe," he said. "But this is not just not a good year for oaks. It's a zero year. There's zero production. I've never seen anything like this before."

The absence of acorns could have something to do with the weather, Simmons thought. But he hoped it wasn't a climatic event. "Let's hope it's not something ghastly going on with the natural world."

To find out, Simmons and Arlington naturalists began calling around. A naturalist in Maryland found no acorns on an Audubon nature walk there. Ditto for Fairfax, Falls Church, Charles County, even as far away as Pennsylvania. There are no acorns falling from the majestic oaks in Arlington National Cemetery.

"Once I started paying attention, I couldn't find any acorns anywhere. Not from white oaks, red oaks or black oaks, and this was supposed to be their big year," said Greg Zell, a naturalist at Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington. "We're talking zero. Not a single acorn. It's really bizarre."

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I have an oak tree in my yard that has produced so many acorns that after I raked up a giant pile, I decided to put them into their own can to see how much the tree would produce this year. I have already filled a 45 gallon can and more fall everyday.
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Funny, now that I think about it, it doesn't seem like there were many in my yard this year (in Connecticut) -- there have been years that they fell like rain (we live on a large lot full of oak trees.) And, for the first year, squirrels did consume our Halloween pumpkin.
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All over the place here in Washington & Oregon states. Tons.
A few hail marys should do it. Except that Maryland was an RCC
haven, which explains why they their hail marys are no good.
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It is interesting to me that everytime this is reported there is never anyone, or very few anyway, who actually say that they agree and that there are no acorns where they live also. I wonder why that would be. Anyway, I will say there are no acorns in Cleveland, Ohio. First time in my life. No acorns. It has been reported that there are no acorns in New England, Nova Scotia, New York, Virginia, Washington DC, Oregon, Kansas. Some guy in Germany said there were no acorns there either. I can only say with certainty that there are no acorns here in Cleveland.
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My personal belief is that there are no acorns anywhere in the country and that the people who claim that there are acorns where they live are shills and liars. You won't convince me otherwise.
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Have a monster white oak in my yard and not a single acorn. Can't remember this ever happening before. Guess I had better put out something for the squirels.

Fort Washington, Md.
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We also have had bushels of acorns for the past several years here in Maryland, but now, without warning, not a single one! Quite alarming in view of the lack of bees. We had more spraying this past year for gypsy moths. Other than that, I can't think of anything different. No drought - although I think we have had droughts - at least small ones - in the previous 2-3 years. I don't think I've seen any oak sprouts anywhere either. The hungry squirrels must have dug all of them up.
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I'd like to buy a bushel of acorns to help feed my squirrels, but can't find any on the net. Lately I've been buying walnuts from Ann's Nuthouse for a dollar a bag, 2 pounds or more a bag.
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