Central Arkansas has two native pine tree species, shortleaf pine and loblolly pine. Pine trees are gymnosperms, that is, they produce cones and seeds rather than flowers and fruits. We call pine seeds “pine nuts,” although they are not true nuts.
Pine nuts are found within pine cones—the cone protects the nut. Nonetheless, many species of wildlife extract these seeds from the cones, including squirrels, deer, raccoons, chipmunks, turkeys, quail, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and crossbills. Black bears will eat them as well, but they will raid squirrel hoards of pine nuts because they can’t extract the seeds themselves.
Next time you walk in the woods, look for stripped cores of pine cones on the ground—these are remnants of an animal’s meal.