Sean Bradley, Staff Writer 

What do squirrels, snakeroots and Solidagos have in common? Not much other than they all start with the letter “S,” but more importantly they’re three things found in nature commonly associated with fall. In this fall-themed Nature at La Salle article, we’ll learn about these three fascinating organisms.

Starting with squirrels, a squirrel is any mammal found in the family Sciuridae. There are two squirrel species that occur regularly on campus: eastern gray squirrel and groundhog. The eastern gray squirrel is the most common squirrel on campus and is found throughout campus. Gray squirrels are omnivores, and they eat seeds, nuts, buds, insects and eggs. They also play an important role as seed dispersers. In fall, they bury their food for later in several locations but sometimes forget where they left those food items. These forgotten seeds or nuts benefit the ecosystem by germinating and growing into new plants. Squirrels have two types of homes: nests of leaves, called “dreys,” or tree dens which are used for resting and raising young.

Groundhogs, believe it or not, are squirrels and belong to a ground squirrel tribe called Marmotini. As La Salle’s largest squirrel, groundhogs can be found near the Peale House, Hansen Quad, and South Campus. Groundhogs are mostly herbivores and mainly eat leafy, green plants but do occasionally eat insects. They’re extraordinary diggers and use their claws to create a system of underground burrows, which they use for shelter, safety, raising young, hibernation and defecation (there’s a separate “bathroom” chamber). Additionally, burrowing aerates, or provides oxygen to the soil, which helps plants absorb nutrients for growth. Groundhogs are also called “whistle pigs” due to their whistle-like alarm call.

White snakeroot is a pretty perennial with a dark past. The species’ name comes from the medicinal use of its roots by Indigenous peoples to treat snake bites. However, the plant itself is toxic. During westward expansion times, many settlers, notably Nancy Hanks Lincoln, mother of President Abraham Lincoln, died of “milk sickness” after drinking contaminated milk from cows that grazed on snakeroot. Despite its dark past, white snakeroot is beneficial. The plant is adaptable and thrives in disturbed, shady areas on campus, where it forms colonies via rhizomes – fast, horizontally growing underground roots – which may also be a drawback for gardeners. More importantly, white snakeroot blossoms provide nectar to bees and flies, especially when food is less available in fall.

Lastly, there’s Solidago. Solidago is the scientific name for a genus of flowering plants commonly called goldenrod. Goldenrods are misunderstood since they’re often viewed as weeds and blamed for causing Hay fever. When it comes to fall allergies, the real culprit is ragweed, whose pollen floats easily while goldenrod’s pollen is too sticky to float. While they’re prolific spreaders, goldenrods are quite hardy because they’re drought tolerant, deer-resistant, and thrive in many environments. Their blossoms are also beneficial to insect pollinators, like bees and butterflies, and many other insects. La Salle has one goldenrod species, tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima), whose pretty yellow blossoms can be appreciated on South Campus.