A few of my favorite things #9

Turtles.  All sorts of turtles.  Because turtles are cool, especially if you can get them to sit still long enough to capture a respectable photo.

Texas river cooter (Pseudemys texana) perched on a log (2009_02_01_005696)
Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) sunning on a debris pile (2009_03_08_012937)
Female river cooter (Pseudemys concinna) building a nest (2009_06_07_022723)
Male three-toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) sitting in the middle of a trail (IMG_2082)
Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) crossing a dirt road (IMG_2257)
Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) on the side of the road (IMG_2447)

That last photo gives me the willies.  Why?  Here, take a closer look.

Close-up of a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) with mosquitoes covering its head (IMG_2444_c)

By my count, there are six mosquitoes visible on this side alone.  What about the other side?

Worse still, other than retracting its head and hoping for the best, what defense does a turtle have when it comes to mosquitoes?  From this image, I’d say none.  And boy does that make me itch.

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Photos:

  1. Texas river cooter (Pseudemys texana) perched on a log
  2. Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) sunning on a debris pile
  3. Female river cooter (Pseudemys concinna) building a nest
  4. Male three-toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) sitting in the middle of a trail
  5. Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) crossing a dirt road
  6. Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) on the side of the road
  7. Close-up of a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) with mosquitoes covering its head

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