North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Alan Haigh" <alandhaigh@gmail.com>]

"Anton,
Your proposition presumes that other animals favor the flavors that we do.  Based on what I see some of them eat, I don't think that is true - your last sentence alludes to that.
Happy New Year to you.
Jim"

 

Actually the wildlife at my place tend to favor my favorites, or at least the sweetest fruit available.   Bitter is generally not a popular flavor by any of my mammal competitors.  The squirrels always seem to go for the biggest and sweetest peaches as do the coons- same for apples and plums.  The birds certainly favor my sweet cherries over the sour ones. 

 

Interestingly, until this year the wildlife never showed any interest in my paw paws, even though they are sweet, quite good and low acid which most like.  I guess they just didn't know what they were until a possum figured it out this round.  Hunger probably encourages experimentation.