365 Urban Species. #172: Painted Turtle

[urbpan]

Female laying eggs. Photo by cottonmanifesto. Location Riverway path, between Brookline Ave. and Parkway Road, Boston/Brookline line.

Urban species #172: Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta

If you see a turtle basking on a log in an urban pond, chances are good that it's a painted turtle. Painted's are the most common pond turtles in eastern North America, and among the most lovely. There are different subspecies showing slight variations in color across the continent, but all have yellow and reddish markings of some form, earning them their name.

Painted turtles are usually seen basking on a log or other object in the water, soaking up solar energy before foraging. They are omnivores, eating aquatic plants, snails, insects, and carrion. Their habitat requirements are modest: water with basking sites, some food from the aforementioned list, and well-drained soil to lay eggs in. They are tolerant of polluted, stagnant, and even slightly salty water. Hatchlings are eaten by herons, raccoons, and bullfrogs, but fully grown turtles are good swimmers and too well armored for most predators to bother with.




Head retracted in defense.




Painted turtles on right and left. Center turtle to be explained later. Location: Willow Pond, Boston,

Comments

[sheridankm.livejournal.com]

I saw about five of those today in Halcyon Pond, Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Two of them were itty-bitty, smaller than my hand. I snapped a (very poor) photo of them in the water, which will be up on my journal soon -- the little buggers swim fast!

I tried to record a bullfrog today, too, but his croaking was so deep that it wasn't captured well by my little videocamera.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

That's one of my all-time favorite places in the city. I always try to take visitors there.

[phlogiston-5.livejournal.com]

I always send them a-ploppin when I go kayaking. I try to sneak by without them noticing, but one always takes the plunge and then the rest follow like sheep.

[ex-wellread.livejournal.com]

I caught one while fishing. I wanted to unhook him but he started hissing at me. Then I realized I would harm him taking it out because of how the hook is made. So I snipped the line close as I could to the hook. I feel bad that he spent (or spending) the rest of his life with a pierced lip. I think of him whenever I see a turtle.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

rescued one of those earlier this week, took some pictures, they're sweet guys, unlike the snapper i also rescued :) hisssSSSSSsssss... :)

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lol..

[(Anonymous)]

i cooked one of those today the baby one lol..