Editor’s Note: The most recent “Bud’s View” was published in the May 17 and 18, 2017, Focus section. The following column is believed to be the last “Bud’s View” column written by Bud Cole. It was found on his computer, ready to be submitted for publication. Bud Cole died July 21, 2017.

The turtle is probably the most easily recognized and the most favorably accepted of all the cold-blooded vertebrates known as reptiles.

It’s believed that reptiles, including the turtle, evolved from amphibians more than 250 million years ago.

There are three reptile groups:

Turtles

Lizards and snakes

Alligators and crocodiles

The characteristics that set reptiles apart from other animals include an internal skeleton, a dry scaly skin, internal lungs used for breathing, clawed feet, a body temperature that varies with the temperature of the surrounding environment and young that hatch from eggs.

Most reptile eggs are buried in the ground where they are incubated by the warm sun. A few reptile females give birth to live young. Turtles provide no parental care for their offspring.

Studies indicate that turtles have very good vision and are able to discriminate between various colors. They use their sense of smell to find food. Most turtles are mute. It’s fortunate that most people like turtles because when it comes to intelligence in the animal kingdom, turtles rank near the bottom of the list.

Turtles enjoy a rather long life span. Common American box turtles have lived more than 100 years in captivity. They have undergone very little structural change over the millions of years they’ve roamed the earth. Land species living in temperate climates dig into the ground below the frost line to survive cold weather. Water varieties spend the cold months hibernating in the muddy bottoms of streams and ponds.

According to “Reptiles and Amphibians,” published by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, there are 14 species of turtles that live or have been identified in Pennsylvania.

A fishing license is required by those 16 years and older to catch, take or possess reptiles. It is unlawful to disturb reptile nests or possess the eggs of wild reptiles found in Penn’s Woods. It is also illegal to possess Blanding’s, American box, spotted and wood turtles in the Keystone State.

Turtles are easily recognized by their hard shell. The carapace (top shell) covers the back and sides. The plastron (lower shell) protects the underside of the turtle. The top and bottom shells are connected along the side. A turtle’s legs are attached within the shell.

Turtles have no teeth. They use their hard, horny beak-like mouth to cut through food. Their foods includes plants, fish, grubs, insects, earthworms and other invertebrates.

Males are usually smaller than the females. The males have longer tails and often have a concave lower shell.

The 14 turtle species in Pennsylvania vary in size from the smallest, the 4-1/2 inch long bog turtle (aka the Muhlenberg Turtle), to the large common snapping turtle that reach a length of 18 inches. Mature snapping turtles vary from 10 to 35 pounds. The saw-toothed tail and small lower shell are keys to identifying these large aquatic turtles.

Snapping turtles tend to hold their shell high as they waddle across the ground. Their strong jaws and the fast striking action of their long necks quickly turn prey into fast-food. They prefer calm, muddy water where they feed on fish, aquatic carrion and young waterfowl. Snapping turtle meat is the main ingredient in turtle soup.

Other Pennsylvania aquatic turtles from smallest to largest include the Eastern mud turtle, the spotted turtle, the stink pot (or musk turtle), the Eastern painted turtle, the Blanding’s turtle, the map turtle and the Eastern spiny softshell turtle.

Painted turtles are one of the most common and widespread turtle species. They have broad, smooth-edged shells. The yellow plastron is often tinted with red. Painted turtles are frequently seen together sunning on rocks and logs.

The adaptive red-eared slider, a southern species, is becoming an invasive species in northern habitats. This non-native is often sold in pet stores. Unfortunately, owners who no longer want to care for them have released them into local streams and ponds. They can live up to 30 years in the wild where they take over the habitats of northern native species.

The Eastern box turtle is mainly a land turtle. It is the only turtle in Pennsylvania that can pull its head and legs into its shell for protection. A hinge across the plastron divides the lower shell into two parts. The moveable front section can be drawn in to form a tight protective box.

Box turtles prefer damp, open, wooded areas where they feed on wild berries, fruits, insects and earthworms. Although males are smaller than their female counterparts, they have longer tails. Males have bright red eyes while the females have dark red or brown eyes.

Female box turtles bury four to five white eggs in a sunny area in early summer. The baby turtles crawl out of the ground about three months later. Young turtles grow only ½ to ¾ inches per year for the first five to six years, then begin to grow at a slower rate of about ¼ inch per year. They are able to mate at five years of age and are fully grown by age 20. Average life span is 40 years.

Be sure to look for these interesting reptiles during your future outdoor adventures.

That’s the way I see it!

All Rights Reserved &Copy; 2017 Bud Cole