False Foxglove Blooms Along Lakes

This late bloomer will unfurl its flowers from August to September around the sandy shores of Sunset Lake. The small, purple flowers attract many species of bees. If you take a closer look at the bell-shaped flowers, you will see that they actually have a built in welcome mat for these winged visitors. Within each flower is a tiny landing strip of tiny spots, which guides insects towards the bloom's nectar. As a bee heads toward the center of the flower, they get coated in pollen which may then pollinate the next false foxglove bloom they enter.

Learn more: Robert Freckmann Herbarium

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Snapping Turtle Eggs Hatch

Earlier this summer, a female snapping turtle dug a hole in a sandy spot near water and laid 25-80 eggs in it. These eggs were just a bit smaller than a ping-pong ball and just as round. Now, after almost three months, the tiny snapping turtles inside them are ready to emerge. Keep an eye out for these quarter-sized youngsters in the evenings when they leave their nests in groups to head towards the water.

Snapping turtles live in a variety of places such as slow moving rivers, streams and ponds. In these habitats, snapping turtles quickly extend their long necks to grab small fish, plants, and carrion.

A snapping turtle continues to grow during its entire life, which may be up to 30 years! A large snapping turtle may eventually weigh 30 pounds or more. Once they are this size, few creatures will hunt snapping turtles, but as babies many birds and mammals will try to catch them for a snack.

Did you Know?  A snapping turtle’s body is much larger than its shell, so it can’t hide inside of it like smaller species can. However, its powerful jaws deter other animals from bothering it.

Learn more: Animal Diversity Web