What is the official term for the cache of nuts that squirrels create, or the process for doing so?

Question

I've seen them called scatter-hoarder, and the pile of nuts called a cache, are there scientific or official terms for either part?

Answer 1

Those appear to be the terms in the widest usage, making them standard and therefore sufficient for intelligent communication. However, "scatter-hoarder" is really a name for the type of animal that does this, and not the process itself, which is probably called "hoarding."

Answer 2

Cache is a good term for both the foodstuffs and the act of storing them.

Another term that could be used could be larder.

I don't think there is a specific 'official' term for the behaviour, as the process, food selection and other factors can vary considerably depending on habitat, species, seasonal availablity, and even individual preferences.

It's usually pointless to be too specific in many biological contexts, because nailing down an organism and saying 'this critter is a strict frugivore' or something similar nearly always turns out to not be true in all situations and circumstances.

Answer 3

Squirrels "gather" nuts for their winter hibernation.