Occurrences

Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.

Habitat

Blanding’s Turtles inhabit clean, shallow waters with abundant aquatic vegetation and soft muddy bottoms over firm substrates. This species is found in ponds, marshes, swamps, bogs, wet prairies, river backwaters, embayments, sloughs, slow-moving rivers, and lake shallows and inlets. Blanding’s Turtles also occupy terrestrial habitats in the spring and summer during the mating and nesting seasons and in the fall to a lesser extent. Females nest in open uplands adjacent to wetland habitats, preferring sunny areas with moist but well-drained sandy or loamy soil. They will nest in lawns, gardens, plowed fields or even gravel road embankments if suitable natural nesting habitat is not available.

Specific Habitat Needs

Downed woody debris needed in: Bog; Coastal plain marsh; Emergent marsh; Floodplain forest; Great lakes marsh; Inundated shrub swamp; Northern fen; Northern wet meadow; Prairie fen; Rich conifer swamp; Rich tamarack swamp; Southern hardwood swamp; Southern wet meadow; Submergent marsh; Wet prairie; Wet-mesic sand prairie.

Natural Community Types

• Bog
• Coastal fen
• Coastal plain marsh
• Dry-mesic prairie
• Emergent marsh
• Floodplain forest
• Great lakes marsh
• Inundated shrub swamp
• Mesic prairie
• Mesic sand prairie
• Mesic southern forest
• Northern fen
• Northern wet meadow
• Prairie fen
• Rich conifer swamp
• Rich tamarack swamp
• Southern hardwood swamp
• Southern wet meadow
• Submergent marsh
• Wet prairie
• Wet-mesic sand prairie

Methodology

Management Recommendations

The most critical conservation need for this species is protection and management of suitable wetland and adjacent upland habitats. Maintaining good water quality, restricting herbicide and pesticide use in or near wetlands, implementing minimum development set-back distances, leaving buffer zones during timber harvest, grazing and agricultural operations, and minimizing the construction of roads in or near suitable wetlands would be beneficial to this species. Timber harvesting can benefit this species by creating or maintaining open habitat conditions for thermoregulation and nesting. Minimizing adult mortality or removal is crucial for population viability given this species’ life history. Thus, habitat management activities should be conducted in such a manner so as to minimize the potential for causing take of adults (e.g., timber harvesting during the inactive season). Minimizing road mortality and illegal collection also would beneficial to this species. In some cases, on-site protection of nest sites and predator control may be necessary to facilitate or increase successful reproduction or population recruitment.

Active Period

Active from first week of April to fourth week of October

Breeding from first week of April to fourth week of October

Nesting from fourth week of May to fourth week of June

Survey Methods

Although Blanding’s Turtles can be seen anytime during the active season, the best time to survey for this species is in May and June during the mating and nesting seasons when the turtles are most active. Blanding’s Turtles generally are active during the day, and most active in the morning. However, during hot summer weather, they may limit their activities to early morning and evening or even become nocturnal. In addition to visual surveys, Blanding’s Turtles also can be trapped throughout the active season using baited aquatic traps (e.g., hoop and net traps) and terrestrial drift fences.

Trapping with aquatic traps

Survey Period: From first week of April to fourth week of October

Visual encounter surveys

Survey Period: From first week of May to fourth week of June

Time of Day: Daytime
Cloud Cover: Clear
Air Temperature: Above 60 degrees
Wind: Light Breeze

References

Survey References

• Karns, D.R. 1986. Field Herpetology: Methods for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles in Minnesota. Occ. Pap. No. 18. J.F. Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

• Kofron, C.P. and A.A. Schreiber. 1985. Ecology of two endangered aquatic turtles in Missouri: Kinosternon flavescens and Emydoidea blandingii. Journal of Herpetology 19(1):27-40.

Technical References

• Congdon, J.D., D.W. Tinkle, G.L. Breitenbach, and R.C. van Loben Sels. 1983. Nesting ecology and hatching success in the turtle Emydoidea blandingii. Herpetologica 39(4): 417-429. hatching success in the turtle Emydoidea blandingii. Herpetologica 39(4): 417-429. hatching success in the turtle Emydoidea blandingii. Herpetologica 39(4): 417-429.

• Ernst, C.H., J.E. Lovich, and R.W. Barbour. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 578pp.

• Harding, J.H. 1997.Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region. The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor. 378pp.

• Lee, Y. 1999. Special Animal Abstract for Emydoidea blandingii (Blanding’s turtle). Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing, MI. 3pp. Features Inventory. Lansing, MI. 4 pp. Features Inventory. Lansing, MI. 4 pp.

• Minton, S.A. 1972. Amphibians and Reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. 3: 346pp.

• Smith, P.W. 1961. The amphibians and reptiles of Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey, Carbondale. Bulletin No. 28. 298 pp.

More Information

• Emydoidea blandingii abstract