Blanding’s Turtle

Blanding’s turtle, (Emydoidea blandingii), freshwater turtle, family Emydidae, found in southern Canada and the north-central to northeastern United States. The upper shell (carapace) of Blanding’s turtle averages about 20 cm (8 inches) in length; it is smooth, rounded, and elongate with yellow markings on a blackish ground colour. The chin of the turtle is bright yellow, and the lower shell (plastron) is hinged in the centre and can be drawn up to protect the head, legs, and tail.

Blanding’s turtle is usually found in ponds, quiet streams, and other shallow bodies of water with thick vegetation and soft bottoms. It is an omnivore but prefers crustaceans. Although a strongly aquatic turtle, it regularly basks in the sunlight during the spring. Females often travel long distances overland to find suitable nesting sites and typically deposit clutches of 6–21 eggs in early summer. Hatchlings emerge from their eggs by August or early September. They often overwinter in the nest and disperse during the early spring the following year.