Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata) are small, semi-aquatic turtles that can be found on Long Island. These turtles are rare to see due to a number of different factors including habitat loss and water pollution.
Ninety percent of all Spotted Turtles live near wetlands, and they primarily eat insects, worms, slugs, and snails. Spotted Turtles are small, reaching only 3.5 to 5 inches long when fully grown. The top of their shell is grey or black with a number of small yellow spots all over it, and the underside of the shell is yellow or orange with black smudges. Spotted Turtles will typically hatch with only one of these spots on their shell, but can have hundreds by the time they’re fully grown. As the turtles age past adulthood, some of the spots may start to fade or disappear entirely.
Their breeding period in NY is from March to May. The female will create a nest two inches deep in meadows or fields nearby wetlands, and lay between three and six eggs. Eggs that are kept warmer than a particular temperature during incubation end up as females, and eggs kept cooler than that temperature end up as males. Male and female Spotted Turtles differ in both size and color. Females tend to have more spots than their male counterparts. Females also have orange eyes, a yellow or orange chin, and thin and narrow tails, while males have brown eyes, tan or brown chins, and thick long tails. Neither females nor males have teeth, but instead have horny jaw plates that they use for ripping up food.
Spotted Turtles can live for 25 to 50 years. They are diurnal, meaning they are most active during the daytime. The turtles come out of the water to bask in sunlight from late March to mid-October, and can be seen doing so on top of logs, rocks, and in grassy patches.
If you find a Spotted Turtle, do not relocate it or keep it as a pet, as it is illegal and they do not thrive in home settings. Spotted Turtles are listed as a Species of Special Concern in NYS, and you can help them by protecting wetlands and driving carefully.
By Meghan Bukoski
