Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Smooth Turtle Leeches (Maybe)

Winter hurtled back this weekend and it feels like 15F with the wind this early Tuesday morning. So, stepping back to last week…
…when it was warm enough for one of the local Krakens, or Snapping Turtles, to be stirring.
And the extraordinary leeches attached to it.
Or, in the case of this one, moving across the shell.

mthew

One response to “Smooth Turtle Leeches (Maybe)”

  1. Charles McAlexander

    The yuck factor of leeches still churns strong in my mind. These turtles need to find a species of bird to pluck the leeches as they bask in the sun. This mutualism, both benefit, should have evolved naturally like cleaner wrasses and some fish.

    Reply

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