Nick Castro, owner of Nick’s Extreme Pest Control in California, has dealt with all sorts of pests in his 20-year career. However, nothing could have prepared him for the jaw-dropping discovery he made during a recent call.
A Routine Job Turns Extraordinary
Castro was called to a home experiencing damage caused by a local woodpecker. The bird had been diligently pecking holes into the house’s siding, using them as storage for its food supply. In this case, the food consisted mostly of acorns. Unfortunately, these acorns were not staying put; instead, they were falling into the hollow spaces within the walls.
The Shocking Discovery
Expecting to find a few acorns, Castro cut into the wall to clear them out. What he encountered was beyond anything he could have imagined. As he made the initial incision, a steady stream of acorns began pouring out. This soon turned into a deluge, revealing the true extent of the woodpecker’s hoarding.
“They just kept coming and coming, nonstop,” Castro recounted. “We thought the acorns would only fill about a quarter of the wall. Instead, they were stacked all the way up to the attic.”
The Acorn Avalanche
Castro continued cutting into different parts of the wall, and acorns continued to flow. By the end of the ordeal, an astounding 700 pounds of acorns had spilled out, enough to fill eight large trash bags.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Castro said, still amazed by the sheer volume of acorns.
A Humane Approach
Nick’s Extreme Pest Control prides itself on humane treatment of animals. True to their policy, Castro’s team left the industrious woodpecker undisturbed. They patched up the holes she had made, and the homeowner added new vinyl siding to encourage the bird to find a new storage spot for her food.
A New Beginning for the Woodpecker
While the woodpecker’s hard work had gone to waste, the new siding will hopefully prompt her to seek a more suitable place for her acorn stash. In the end, this resolution is best for both the homeowner and the bird.
Nick Castro’s extraordinary encounter serves as a reminder of the surprises nature can spring on us, even in our own homes. And while it might have been a mess to clean up, it’s a story that Castro and the homeowners won’t soon forget.
