The Striped Squirrel (Tamiops swinhoei hainanus) as a Nectar Robber of Ginger (Alpinia kwangsiensisy)

Nectar robbing by squirrels is reported for the first time in the striped squirrel (Tamiops swinhoei hainanus), which was found robbing nectar from ginger plants (Alpinia kwangsiensis) in tropical forests of south Yunnan, China. We describe the behavior of squirrels visiting inflorescences, and we compare the fruit set of inflorescences visited by squirrels with that of inflorescences not subject to nectar robbing by squirrels. Most of the styles of robbed flowers were damaged and the affected plants exhibited reduced fruit set.