Emys blandingii (Blanding's turtle) - MNFI Rare Species Explorer

Emys blandingii

Blanding's turtle

Photo by Jim H. Harding

Key Characteristics

The Blanding’s Turtle is a medium-sized turtle with adult carapace lengths ranging from 6 to 11 inches (15-28 cm). The carapace (i.e, top part of shell) is usually black with yellowish spots and streaks and is dome-like, elongated, and smooth. The plastron (i.e., bottom part of shell) typically is yellow with a dark blotch at the outer corner of each scute or scale. The Blanding’s Turtle has a very long neck and a bright yellow chin and throat. The head is dark with brown or yellow spots, and is relatively flat with a short, rounded snout and a notched upper jaw, giving the appearance of a permanent grin.

Status and Rank

State Status: SC - Special Concern (rare or uncertain; not legally protected)
State Rank: S3 - Vulnerable
Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure

Occurrences

County Name	Number of Occurrences	Year Last Observed
Alcona	13	2005
Allegan	3	1996
Alpena	1	1994
Barry	7	2006
Bay	3	2003
Berrien	5	2002
Calhoun	4	2007
Cass	2	2006
Cheboygan	1	2007
Chippewa	1	2002
Clare	4	2004
Clinton	3	2002
Crawford	3	2004
Delta	1	2005
Eaton	2	2007
Emmet	1	2000
Genesee	3	1997
Gladwin	2	2001
Hillsdale	3	2003
Huron	2	2007
Ingham	9	2006
Ionia	2	2004
Iosco	11	2006
Iron	1	2003
Isabella	3	2005
Jackson	10	2003
Kalamazoo	6	2002
Kalkaska	3	2005
Kent	1	2000
Lake	4	2002
Lapeer	3	2002
Lenawee	1	1997
Livingston	3	2005
Manistee	4	2006
Mason	7	2008
Mecosta	5	2005
Missaukee	1	2005
Monroe	1	1997
Montcalm	3	2003
Montmorency	4	2007
Muskegon	4	2008
Newaygo	10	2005
Oakland	10	2008
Oceana	4	2005
Ogemaw	3	2006
Osceola	3	2003
Oscoda	4	2005
Ottawa	3	2006
Presque Isle	2	1998
Roscommon	1	2002
Saginaw	5	2004
Sanilac	1	2003
Schoolcraft	1	1989
Shiawassee	8	1997
St. Joseph	3	2005
Tuscola	4	2004
Van Buren	8	2006
Washtenaw	15	2006
Wexford	2	2002

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, Emergent marsh, Wet prairie, Prairie fen, Great Lakes marsh, Northern wet meadow, Southern wet meadow, Coastal plain marsh, Wet-mesic sand prairie, Rich tamarack swamp, Southern hardwood swamp, Floodplain forest, Inundated shrub swamp, Northern fen, Submergent marsh, Rich conifer swamp

Natural Community Types

Management

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

Nesting from fourth week of May to fourth week of June

Breeding from first week of April to fourth week of October

Active from first week of April to fourth week of October

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: Daytime Cloud Cover: Clear
    Air Temperature: Above 60 degrees

More Information

See MNFI Species Abstract

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.

Page Citation

Michigan Natural Features Inventory. 2007. Rare Species Explorer (Web Application). Available online at http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/explorer [Accessed Nov 23, 2009]