Steady on! Cheeky chipmunk bites off more than it can chew

A host of chipmunks have been captured stuffing their cheeks with nuts as they hoard food for winter.

Ally Calmusky, 35, photographed the rodents in her mother's garden in Aurora, Canada, where they regularly flock to collect peanuts, seeds and other nuts that she leaves outside.

She has named seven of her regular visitors as Jackson Pollock, Rembrandt, Picasso, Bob Ross, Pearl, Claude Monet, and Frida Kahlo.

"Whenever the chipmunks hear me outside, they will run from their burrows and jump straight up to where I'm sitting. I will then offer them food - usually peanuts or nuts or seeds," Ms Calmusky said.

"Once they stuff their cheeks full, they will run back to their burrow to hoard the food for later.

"There are several different chipmunks who visit. Right now there are currently seven 'regulars' which I have named Jackson Pollock, Rembrandt, Picasso, Bob Ross, Pearl, Claude Monet, Frida Kahlo."

She added: "Some are more friendly and trusting than others.

"But once newcomers see the other chipmunks trust me and that I'm no threat to them, they tend to become comfortable with coming up to me fairly quickly.

"It always makes me laugh how much they can pack into their cheeks - it never gets old."