Long time PF readers (you poor souls ... thank you!) know this turtle. It's been a while but we PF regulars have followed this turtle and it's siblings from when they were eggs in the sand back in 2006.
Curious newbies may want to search this blog under "baby turtles" to see how things have unfolded.
The two turtles I retained are doing fine in a livestock tank pond out in the garden. I have lost track of the others as they are free, although I did have two pass on to turtle heaven through two different events.
I do still get occasional updates on one of the turtles that went to live with a (then) very little boy who's Aunt works with me.
From time to time I get long updates on the turtle who lives in their kitchen and has apparently stolen everyone's heart.
They talk of him in the same affectionate way other people discuss their dogs and cats.
They are a reminder for me to take a chance once in a while and ignore your gut feelings. The fact is that four years ago, when that little boy's Grandma (she works here too) asked me for one of my turtle babies, I really was afraid I was sending it to an early demise.
The truth is exactly the opposite, their turtle is thriving and keeps outgrowing aquariums while he continues to charm his owners.
This caterpillar was found by my students on an outside class expedition a few weeks ago. We talked of raising it, and then decided to release it.
Pretty neat markings.
I have not bothered to look it up, because:
a) It's not a fish.
b) I am only mildly interested in the answer.
c) I have you.
PS:
I have not forgotten about the Bear video I hinted at previously.
It is coming.
13 comments:
FC-
Any chance you might take the Red Raptor out our way and snap a few photos? I hear we have four walls and a well now.
Thanks,
You know who!
Nice turtle update, fc!
That caterpillar is spectacular. I love caterpillars with false eyes like that, absolutely my favorite. I'm not very good at ID'ing things, but that might be some kind of swallowtail caterpillar.
Particularly brown spicebush swallowtail?
I was thinking this might have been a pest caterpillar getting fed to the turtle video post!
hehe- SHOULD have fed it to the turtle. That cat will be a HUGE sphinx moth. BLECH> Those things creep me out.
Xylophanes tersa, the tersa sphinx moth. Compare here. C'mon, you knew I was gonna get this.
My son will love the photo of this caterpillar. Check out this post with a little bit of his collection which he generally brings in and it ends up crawling on me when I'm sleeping.http://milkweedmama7.blogspot.com/2010/10/i-hate-halloween.html
I'm especially fond of the giant black bug thingy.
Yeah Doug!
Hi Mr. FC-
As a fellow teacher I have to insert a grammar lesson so your blog can be perfect.
whose- possession
who's- contraction of who is
Your sentence should be "Whose aunt"
Same thing with its and it's
its- possession
it's- contraction of it is
Hope this helps!
It was fun watching you feed the turtles when we were out there!
Oh and let Mrs. FC know I'm still working on an answer for her!
That funny caterpillar turns into quite the aerodynamic wonder! I'm with Robin on the false eyes, but that pointy thing seems unnecessary. We had a "pet" turtle for years and years (Dan named him Kermit in a moment of preschool confusion) and he was a real delight. The kids loved to put him on the kitchen floor and give him a cherry tomato- he would roll it all over the kitchen trying to get a grip on it with his 'beak' and finally get it backed into a corner where he would bite down and spray seeds everywhere. A few always dried on his face so he would spend a lot of time swiping at them.
Lightnin,
This weekend looks good!
Robin,
Me too!
Such a clever adaptation.
Tai,
I could see how you might think that it would be another turtle munching cat post!
Barbie,
My turtles love tomato hornworms!
Doug,
I knew you would take the bait! LOL!
Thank you! You are my go to guy for insects.
Secret Pepper,
LOL! Kids and bugs!
Dani,
Bug Doug rocks!
Anonymous grammar corrector,
I hope you don't think you have to go all coverty on me to correct a gramatactical error on Pure Florida.
I can take valid criticism.
In truth, the whole "its vs it's" thing plagues me and I often mix 'em up.
I am not as confused about "it" as former president Clinton was though.
I do write PF on the fly, most of what goes up here is first draft out of necessity.
The "who" thing is just plain ol'carelessness.
We all appreciate the English 101 refresher though.
Keep up the good work.
Dave,
Will do!
Vicki,
Kermit wasn't a turtle???!!!
Thanks FC!
Lightnin
Tersa sphinx. Yup. That's my thumb on that bugguide page there, Mr. Taron and Mr. Fc.
The captcha for this comment: imidic. Indeed. I can be - but with decreasing frequency, I hope.
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