#eastern mud turtle

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

Some freshly picked strawberries. For a fun game you can play at home, pick one out as your favorite, give it a name, and see if you can find it later in the post.

Continuing the request of 5.5% of respondents from our New Year's poll, I went out to a field IRL to take pictures. Unfortunately, strawberry picking is a popular Spring pass-time around here, so I didn't bother trying to get a clean picture of the field and I just don't love you enough to photoshop all the random people out. I'm sorry.

In exchange, I will make you a pie.

Step one: I de-stem, then apply cornstarch and sugar. Blending it up real good with some boiling water. I do not count the strawberries. I do not measure. I simply know the mix is properly blended when it turns the right color and starts leaking out of the bottom of the blender's pitcher.

Next, the mixture is boiled and stirred. After sufficient stirring, I provide it the power of vanilla extract and throw some more strawberries in to be covered by the mixture and then transfer it to the Store Bought Graham Cracker Pie Crust and then add more strawberries after realizing this looks kind of pitiful. Then, time to refrigerate until it thickens.

Step C: I give the cut-off strawberry stems to The Turtle. ALL of them. She'll know if I try to keep any. Whatever she doesn't take, I'm sure will be enjoyed by possums or birds.

Step IV:

Whipcream

3.26.25

Charadra dispulsa

I couldn’t find a common name for this noctuid moth. Observed 3.26.25 at Galveston Island State Park. Its native range extends from Texas to San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

The adults show up from March to May and through July in South Texas.

They have an average wing size of 34 mm. Though nothing is known of the larval stages and the plants they feed on it is thought that the larvae might be oak feeders.

I could find very little on this species and that spot on its thorax may be a bald spot.

It may also be a female indicated by the refined antennae.

#charadradispulsa #noctuidmoth #citizenscience #moth #insect #native #nature #outdoors #march #march26 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day85

3.27.25

Eastern Mud Turtle

Kinosternon subrubrum

Observed 3.27.25 at Galveston Island State Park. This species is native and endemic to this area and eastern United States.

Though they prefer slow moving freshwater areas with heavy vegetation, they have adapted to coastal life by tolerating brackish waters.

In Texas this species is considered secure but habitat loss and road mortality contributes to its decline.

They dig under sand or dry leaves to hibernate from September to May. Not sure why this guy was out today.

They are omnivores, feeding on insects, aquatic plants, carrion, and more.

They are not strong swimmers and will walk along the bottom of the water and their nostrils are positioned so that they can breathe with most of their body submerged.

#easternmudturtle #Kinosternonsubrubrum #citizenscience #turtle #reptile #native #endemic #nature #outdoors #march #march27 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day86

3.28.25

Scarlet Pimpernel

Lysimachia/Anagallis arvensis

Observed 3.28.25 at Galveston Island State Park. It originates from North Africa, Europe, & Western Asia. It’s a widely distributed (by humans) nonnative, noninvasive annual.

The flowers will close when cloudy or stormy, earning it the nickname Shepherd’s weather glass & opens in the sunshine.

It produces very small, brown seeds to reproduce with each plant having the potential to produce thousands.

The plant contains toxins and can poison people and livestock if eaten in large enough quantities.

It has been used as the symbol for the hero in the novel turned musical, “The Scarlet Pimpernel” by Baroness Emmuska Orczy.

#scarletpimpernel #lysimachiaarvensis #anagallisarvensis #citizenscience #flora #nonnative #noninvasive #nature #outdoors #march #march28 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day87

3.29.25

Little Brown Skink

Scincella lateralis

Observed 3.26.25 at Galveston Island State Park. Their native range is most of the Eastern US & Northern Mexico. It is fairly common in its range and is at Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

This is one of North America’s smallest reptiles. It is fossorial, meaning they spend most of their time under leaf litter. I had to boot this one out of the restroom.

It is diurnal but can be active at night as well. They spend the coldest months hibernating.

When threatened they will hide or run away. As a last resort they can drop their tail, growing it back later.

They are insectivores and use their tongue to sense chemicals from prey by flicking the air.

They live 2-4 years with young becoming reproductively mature at 1 year. Both males and females have many mates. They may lay more than one clutch per year with 1-6 eggs in each. After 1-2 months the babies hatch and are self sufficient. (I’m about 470 months old and I still struggling with self sufficiency 😅)

#littlebrownskink #scincellalateralis #citizenscience #reptile #lizard #native #nature #outdoors #march #march29 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day88

3.30.25

Common Gold-dust

Chrysothrix xanthina

Observed on tree bark at Galveston Island State Park on 3.28.25. It thrives in dry shaded areas on bark, dead wood and sometimes rocks. It is considered cosmopolitan meaning it is found everywhere except Antarctica.

It gets its name from its yellow color and the granular powdery structure of growth. These granules are called soredia, tiny reproductive units. These soredias spread by wind, animals, and even water.

Like all lichen, it is made up of fungi (for structure) and algae (for food) growing symbiotically. it is also a good environmental indicator, growing more abundantly in less polluted areas.

Commongolddust #Chrysothrixxanthina #citizenscience #lichen #nature #outdoors #march #march30 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day89

3.31.25

Tangerine Beauty Crossvine

Bignonia capreolata

Observed at a friend’s on Galveston Island on 3.31.25. It is native to the central and southern US. Though it is a vigorous climber, it is not invasive like other vine species.

They can bloom from spring to fall (this was her first big bloom of the season). It is low maintenance and thrives in full sun and can tolerate partially shaded areas.

It is a great pollinator attractor for butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

Historically, Native Americans used parts of the crossvine for medicinal purposes, treating maladies like edema, diphtheria, rheumatism and headaches. On the flip side of that, it is not considered edible and has harmful elements that can cause allergic reactions and gastrointestinal issues.

#tangerinebeautycrossvine #bignoniacapreolata #citizenscience #flora #native #nature #outdoors #march #march31 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day90

4.1.25

Violet Carpenter Bee

Xylocopa violacea

Observed at a friend’s on Galveston Island 3.31.25. It is native to Asia and Europe.

They appear to be all black until the sun catches the blue & purple hues in their wings.

They visit a wide variety of flowers for pollen and nectar making them important pollinators. They can also use their size and weight to steal nectar from long, tubular flowers without pollinating.

They hibernate over the winter and start emerging around April-May. Their nature predators include some mammals and birds, including woodpeckers.

They create their nests by boring into decaying or dead wood which is where the “carpenter” part of their name comes from.

1987:

Leo - Map

Raph - Map

Donnie - Map

Mikey - Map

2003

Leo - Chinese striped neck

Raph - Chinese striped neck

Donnie - Chinese striped neck

Mikey - Chinese striped neck

2012

Leo - Diamond Back turtle

Raph - Diamond Back turtle

Donnie - Diamond Back turtle

Mikey - Diamond Back turtle

2014/2016:

Leo - red eared slider

Raph - red eared slider

Donnie - red eared slider

Mikey - red eared slider

2018:

Leo - red eared slider

Raph - Snapping turtle

Donnie - soft shell turtle

Mikey - box turtle

2023:

Leo - Eastern Mud

Raph - Eastern Mud

Donnie - Eastern Mud

Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum)

Also known as the common mud turtle, the eastern mud turtle is a species of Kinosternid turtle which is native to the United States, where it occurs throughout the eastern and central portions. Like many other turtle species, eastern mud turtles will occupy a range of freshwater habitats like ponds and lakes, where they will feed on a range of invertebrates and small fish

Classification

Animalia-Chordata-Reptilia-Testudines-Kinosternidae-Kinosternon-K. subrubrum

Eastern Mud Turtle 40D0026390 by Cristian-M “Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum)

The Eastern Mud Turtle is a small and often hard to identify species of turtle found in the east coast of the United States. The carapace is keeless, lacks any pattern, and varies in color from yellowish to black. The plastron is large and double hinged, and can be yellowish to brown, and may sometimes have a dark pattern. The chin and throat are a yellowish grey, streaked and mottled with brown, while the limbs and tail are grayish. The eye, or iris, of the Eastern Mud Turtle is yellow with dark clouding and its feet are webbed.

Eastern Mud Turtles dwells in ponds and other freshwater habitats. They feed mainly on insects and small fish. Raccoons are known to eat this species eggs, while herons and alligators often hunt the adults.