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Wood Turtle
Glyptemys insculpta
39.6366, -78.3242
Field Notes
Description:
The wood turtle is endemic to North America.They have a rough carapace that is a tan, grayish brown or brown color, with a central ridge made up of a pyramidal pattern of ridges and grooves. The plastron is yellowish in color. The wood turtle reaches a carapace length of 14 to 20 centimeters (5.5 to 7.9 in). The wood turtle is omnivorous and is capable of eating on land or in water.
Habitat:
The wood turtle exists in a broad range extending from Nova Scotia in the north (and east) to Minnesota in the west and Virginia in the south. It prefers slow-moving streams containing a sandy bottom and heavily vegetated banks. The soft bottoms and muddy shores of these streams are ideal for overwintering. Also, the areas bordering the streams (usually with open canopies[3]) are used for nesting. Spring to summer is spent in open areas including forests, fields, bogs, wet meadows, and beaver ponds. The rest of the year is spent in the waterways.
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