#common snapping turtle

Florida Wildlife; vol. 12, no. 4. September, 1958. Illustration by Wallace Hughes.

Above a few photos from a Saturday morning bike ride on the Mon River Trail. The milkweed is now in bloom, including butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), whose incandescent orange flowers are a beacon to many pollinators. Along the shady, moist banks of the trail, smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and purple-flowered raspberry (Rubus odoratus) are at peak bloom, descending from the slopes in cascading tiers, often intermixed. And then there is the local wildlife, including on this late spring day a hefty common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), likely a female looking for a spot to lay her eggs. I also rescued a juvenile version from the trail - a tiny (armored) tyke that posed a much lower risk to my fingers.

you've heard of tutel now get ready for TWOtel

(common snapping turtle and eastern painted turtle)

A monstrous turtle emerges from the muck.

It’s gigantic.

Look closely - a typically-sized Midwestern turtle sits next to its foot.