During a school visit last week, John Latimer and his accompanying student phenologists came across the tiny body of a hatchling painted turtle. Together, they dug a small hole, buried the small critter, and sang the ending chorus of Hey Jude by the Beatles: “Hey hey hey, goodbye.”
Why was the tiny turtle trundling along on land, when water is so much safer for a bite-sized chelonian? As it happens, painted turtles are evolutionary oddballs. When the female turtles come on land to lay eggs in June, they dig a compact underground nest where they lay 4-8 eggs. The eggs hatch 70-80 days later, but the hatchlings don’t bother digging their way out. Instead, they spend the fall and winter still in the dark, subterranean nest.
It’s worth noting that the hatchlings are not below the frost line, and since they don’t produce their own heat, they freeze solid. In this, however, they show off an incredible adaptation; by changing the amount of glucose in their cells, they can restrict ice formation to their body cavity and prevent the formation of large ice crystals. This protects their organs and cells from damage, and allows their heart, lungs, and nerve activity to resume in the spring thaw.
After coming back to life in the spring, the tiny turtles finally dig their way out of their nests and make the dangerous trek to water. In addition to predators like herons and foxes, they must brave new dangers: cars, curbs, and hot concrete. If you see a hatchling, help it out by moving it across these barriers in the direction it’s heading!
Topics
Introduction (0:00-0:24)
Plant watch
- Tree activity (0:24-1:56)
- Shrub activity (1:56-5:28)
- Understory plants (5:28-9:49)
Animal Watch
- Birds (9:49-12:36)
- Hatchling painted turtles (12:36-14:07)
- Moths and butterflies (14:07-15:01)
- Dragonflies (15:01-15:46)
Conclusion (15:46-17:00)
What have you seen out there? Let us know: email us at comments@kaxe.org or text us at 218-326-1234.
That does it for this week! For more phenology, <b>subscribe</b> to our Season Watch Newsletter or visit the Season Watch Facebook page.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
