Animals That Eat Honey Locust

Honey locust pods fall in the autumn. They rely on a variety of animals to open their pods, as they don't do so on their own. Many wild animals feed on honey locust pods. At the same time, they're also common food staples for various kinds of farm animals. Animals dine on the pods and seeds, then in turn distribute the seeds.

Some of the many wild animals that dine on honey locust pods are Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), starlings (family Sturnidae), eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) and northern bobwhite birds (Colinus virginianus). Many foxes and squirrels also munch on honey locust pods.

The various domesticated animals that eat honey locust pods are pigs, goats, sheep, cattle and horses. The fruits of honey locusts are thought to provide some nutritional value to certain animals, including cattle. They contain lots of protein, which is beneficial for them.

The outer portions of honey locust seeds have extremely tough textures that are essentially impossible to filter through. The seeds are only capable of germination once they've passed through a consumer's digestive tract, making them pervious. Despite this, not all creatures are capable of digesting them. As far as appearances go, honey locust pods typically grow to between 6 and 8 inches in length, with reddish-brown coloration. They consist of plentiful glossy, deep brown seeds. The seeds are usually about one-third of an inch in length.

Consumption of honey locusts isn't limited to pods and seeds. During the winter months, youthful white-tailed deer often tear off and feed on the smooth bark of these trees. Rabbits also eat the bark by nibbling on it. Some insects feed on the foliage of the trees, too -- namely both whitemarked tussock moths and spider mites.