WASHINGTON — A California exterminator found a real "nut job" after finding 700 pounds of acorns stuffed inside the walls of a home during an inspection.
Nick Castro was called to inspect the California home in December after the homeowners noticed worms coming from a bedroom wall, CNN reports. Castro, who owns Nick's Extreme Pest Control, made a small 4-inch opening on the wall and the acorns "just kept coming," he told the outlet.
The worms turned out to be mealworms, which typically feast on acorns.
Who was the mastermind behind the massive hoard of nuts?
A pair of acorn woodpeckers who likely collected acorns for the past two to five years, Castro told CNN.
He shared his unusual experience on Facebook, saying the acorns filled up eight garbage bags and weighed in at about 700 pounds. Castro's post included photos of the massive acorn pile.
"Bird was a bit of a hoarder," Castro said in his post. "Unreal never came across something like this."
Given their name, acorn woodpeckers are known for collecting just that -- acorns. They usually store their nuts in tree holes or cracks.
Castro said the woodpeckers cleverly found a hole in the chimney where they would drop off their acorns, according to CNN. He said the birds would access their stash through a separate hole in the attic.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Castro told the Press Democrat. “The more acorns I pulled out from the wall, the more there were. It felt like it wasn’t going to end.”
The notable stash was discarded as it was covered by droppings and fiberglass from the insulation, Castro told the newspaper.
