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Plantain Squirrel feeding on banana flower nectar

on 28th September 2015

One evening I was surprised to see a Plantain Squirrel, also known as Red-bellied Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus), hanging on to the huge flowering bunch of one of my banana plants. It was apparently after the flower nectar. Taken by surprise, it scampered off. So I lost the opportunity to have a photographic record. The plant was in its last phase of flowering, so there were no further visits by the squirrel.

I had to wait more than a month for another banana plant to flower. As it was seen in the evening in the previous encounter, I maintained observations only in the evenings. I was taken by surprise a second time when one morning I saw the squirrel on the banana bunch.

So I set up my camcorder in front of the banana plant in the morning hoping to catch the squirrel feeding on the flower nectar. Only on the second morning did I see success – see below. Note that the background music to the video is “Squirrel Chitterin-PE80070” courtesy of The Hollywood Edge.

Earlier posts documented the Cave Nectar Bat (Eonycteris spelaea) and Spotted House Geckos (Gekko monarchs), besides bees and ants. Now I have added the Plantain Squirrel to the list of animals visiting the banana flowers.

YC Wee
Singapore
September 2015

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

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