On Myths and Milksnakes
One of the most common, yet misidentified, snakes in Northern New England is the Eastern Milksnake. Unlike species such as Northern Watersnakes, which are often confused for similarly-patterned Copperheads or Cottonmouths, the Milksnake is mistaken not only for Timber Rattlesnakes, but also another venomous species that doesn’t actually exist: the “checkered” or “spotted adder”. Early […]
Smooth Turtle Leeches
Few aquatic organisms in freshwater environments elicit such strong negative reactions as a leech. They are gross, slimy, bloodsuckers and they creep people out. For those willing to dig a little deeper into their biology, however, leeches are very fascinating animals. For starters, leeches are hermaphroditic and some provide parental care to their young. Then […]
Varied Habitats Key to Wood Turtle Success
Looking down into many river valleys in Northern New England you’ll see forested mountains, rolling hills comprised of hay fields and pasture, and extensive floodplain wetlands with a clear, gravel bottom stream meandering through the middle. Wood Turtles don’t necessarily need access to absolutely everything within such a view (apart from the stream), but a […]
August Photo of the Month
Female Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) found on the forest floor in Northeastern Vermont. She was hit by a car in May and is now being tracked with radio telemetry so the progress of her recovery can be monitored.
Tracking Scarce Turtles
One of the more challenging aspects of surveying for Wood Turtles is that they are so darn good at hiding, and they hide most of the time. Couple that with the fact that they roam thousands of feet from water to forage and are an uncommon species with a patchy distribution and it’s no surprise […]