A Morning Of Turtles And Katydids – My Nature Journal
My nature journal summary
| Date | May 29, 2022 |
| Time | 10:30am ET |
| Habitat | Suburban backyard wilderness |
| Weather | Passing clouds |
| Temperature (Fahrenheit / Celsius) | 80°F / 26°C |
| Wind | 6 mph 70° ENE to WSW |
| Humidity | 52% |
| Animals Encountered | Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) Round-tipped Conehead Katydid (Neoconocephalus retusus) Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) |
| Observations | Started yard work to rip out huge, old stand of English Ivy. Startled lots of spiders and small invertebrates. Wrenched out a handful of ivy and revealed a small Eastern Box Turtle right by my feet. Surprised by the sudden jump of a Slightly Musical Conehead Katydid from the vegetation. |
My nature journal photos
Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene carolinensis
I hate yard work at the best of times, and ripping out a huge stand of old English Ivy can not, in any stretch of the imagination, be considered “the best of times”. But one huge benefit of being a dedicated nature journaler is that nature always offers interesting sights. Today was no exception.
This Eastern Box Turtle was hunkered beneath the ivy right next to my work area. I think he was quite young for two reasons.
First, he was quite small. Eastern Box Turtles only grow to about 8 inches (20 cm) so they’re not big turtles even as mature adults. This little guy’s shell was only about the as his shell was only about the diameter of a drinking glass.
Second, small bumps decorated the center line of his shell. Older box turtles I’ve seen have smoother shells. I suspect the bumps serve as additional structural reinforcement when turtles are young and their shells are relatively thin.
I am very glad I didn’t step on him. The combination of soft, damp ground and his shell probably would have prevented my weight from crushing him but I’m so glad we didn’t put his shell to the test. I like turtles a lot more alive than dead and wouldn’t I have felt terrible if I’d stepped on him?
Shells protect the soft body structures of turtles and Eastern Box Turtles can retract fully into their shells when threatened. They seal themselves up by closing a hinged flap at the front of their plastrons, under their chins. This is an excellent strategy against many predators. Predators find it difficult to either pry open the hinged flaps or crush the turtles’ shells with their jaws.
But this guy didn’t retreat into his shell, probably because I backed off and gave him space. He kept his head out and opted to make a break for cover instead. Land turtles like this one move slowly compared to almost all other animals and this turtle’s small size meant he covered ground relatively slowly. But if you ever have a chance to watch an Eastern Box Turtle flee for more suitable environs, you’ll be surprised how fast it actually moves. They are speedier than they get credit for.
Round-tipped Conehead Katydid Neoconocephalus retusus
The other find of my yardwork morning was this Round-tipped Conehead Katydid.
Related to grasshoppers, this species sings through the afternoon and at night from weedy fields and roadsides throughout the eastern United States (Eaton and Kaufman, 2007). Their informal, English common name describes this species well.
References
Eaton, Eric R. and Kenn Kaufman. 2007. Kaufmann Field Guide To Insects of North America. Boston, MA: Mariner Books.
