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TRIVIA #1:  True or False?   Like all turtles, snappers can hide their heads inside their shells.

TRIVIA #2:  What environmental factor determines the sex of a baby snapping turtle?

TRIVIA #3:  What turtle was the basis of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is a very popular pet, and is extremely invasive outside its native North America?

TRIVIA #4:  How old can a snapping turtle live?

TRIVIA #5:  Are snapping turtles carnivores, herbivores or omnivores?

TRIVIA #6:  How many eggs can a snapping turtle lay?

TRIVIA #7:   For what musical instrument did Native American people use utilize turtles?

Snapping Turtles are common at CWC.   Guests have shared many stories over the years:  having a tug-of-war with one over a string of fish or gleefully watching a batch of babies hatch on the beach during Sandcastle Contest one year in late August.

Reptile Behavior: As a cold-blooded animal, snapping turtles sun themselves to warm their bodies. Unlike other turtles, however, the snapping turtle often remains in the water while doing this, floating at the surface. In shallow waters, Common snappers may lie beneath a muddy bottom with only the head exposed, stretching their long necks to the surface for an occasional breath (note that their nostrils are positioned on the very tip of the snout, effectively functioning as snorkels.   Cool, huh?).

They become less active as temperatures drop. During winter, snapping turtles bury themselves in mud at the bottom of lakes or ponds and hibernate until spring.   (Kim will attest to their ‘stink’ when turtles crawl outta their mud nests and start moving around in the spring.  That “Turtle Crossing” sign at stone bridge next to lodge is there for a reason, as many times guests have had to stop their vehicles to wait for a turtle to cross the driveway.)

Snapper hatch on the beach at CWC during Sandcastle Contest in late August

TRIVIA ANSWERS:

#1:   False.  The upper shell of a snapping turtle, called a carapace, is larger than the underneath shell, known as a plastron. This means that when faced with danger, a snapping turtle cannot pull its body inside its shell as other turtles can. The snapping turtle protects itself by having a much longer and more flexible neck that allows it to be able to turn around and bite. The bite of a large snapping turtle would be very painful and could do great harm to a finger, leg or hand. In the water, the snapping turtle will quietly swim away from danger under the surface but on land, the snapper will face an enemy head on and fight when necessary.

#2:  These guys bury their eggs in a bowl-shaped nest, 3-7″ deep in the soft sand to be heated by the sun; incubation temperature determines the sex of the hatchlings. Incubation temperatures of about 74-degrees produce males and temperatures at around 84-degrees or warmer typically produce females.

#3:  (Psyche!  Non-snapper red herring question, ha!)  The red-eared slider is a North American turtle with a pleasant temperament. In the wild, they congregate in groups on logs; in captivity, they need a heat lamp for temperature regulation. It is the most popular pet turtle across the world, and extensive breeding has resulted in some gorgeous color varieties (check out the golden one if you have a moment!). Its popularity as a pet inevitably leads to people dumping unwanted ones into the wild and it is listed by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as one of the world's most invasive species.

#4:  Wild snapping turtles live approximately three decades, with those in captivity sometimes living longer. Vulnerable when young, snapping turtles may be eaten by mid-sized mammals such as raccoons, various snakes and large birds. Adults have few predators because of their size and aggressive personality. The snapping turtle population remains healthy in most regions and these turtles have been identified in many wetlands.

#5:  Snapping turtles are omnivores, consuming both plant and animal matter, and are important aquatic scavengers; but they are also active hunters and prey on anything they can swallow, including many invertebrates, fish, frogs, reptiles (including snakes and smaller turtles), unwary birds, and small mammals.

#6:  Snapping turtles bury their eggs deep in the sand or mud and have been known to travel up to 10 miles in their search for an appropriate nesting site. Females lay up to 80 eggs at a time, with 20 to 30 eggs being more common; eggs take nine to 18 weeks to hatch depending on weather conditions. Eggs often hatch in the fall, though this sometimes occurs in the spring. (Mating occurs generally between April and November. Female snapping turtles can store sperm for several years, allowing annual egg laying and year-round mating. Mating occurs in the water with the eggs later laid on land.) 

#7: Dried snapping turtle shells, with corn kernels inside, were used as rattles by many Native Americans.

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Crawdads
(also known around the United States as “crayfish”, “crawfish”, “mudbugs”, “yabbies”)

GUESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS BEFORE READING FURTHER (answers at bottom)

TRIVIA #1:  Do crayfish swim forwards or backwards?

TRIVIA #2:  Crayfish with equal size claws are female or male?

TRIVIA #3:  A crayfish will typically DOUBLE it's size with every molt - true or false?

Crayfish are omnivorous...similar to most shrimp and lobsters. That means they will eat almost anything. Crayfish eat fish, shrimp, water plants, worms, insects, snails, plankton, dead plants and animals, cat food and hot dogs. (what???) They hold their food with their claws and are generally very messy eaters.

They breathe through feather-like gills and are found in bodies of water that do not freeze to the bottom; they are also mostly found in brooks and streams where there is fresh water running, and which have shelter against predators.

With proper care, a crayfish can live two years in captivity (although in the wild, some species have been known to live 20-30 years.)

Over 350 species of the 500 crayfish species of the world live in the United States.

The most common crayfish gets 3-4 inches long, but they can get much bigger in the wild, esp. in deep lakes.

These crustaceans have good eyesight and, like other related species, they can move their eyes independently from one another.

Crayfish molt at the end of June. They usually eat their old skeleton in order to recover the calcium and phosphates contained in it. In fact, on the sides of their stomach, crayfish have two limestone grains, filtered from the water, which serve for impregnating the newly forming skeleton with calcium.

Crayfish walk forward; but swim backwards (usually to flee from a threat) by quickly curling and uncurling their abdomen and utilizing their spinnerrets. A speed of 5 metres per second (11 mph) has been recorded. This is known as the caridoid escape reaction.

During the breeding season, males fight for the right to copulate and, in these competitions, they may lose a leg or claw. This is no problem, as the claw or leg will slowly grow back.

Besides humans, water birds, pikes and eels indulge on crayfish. They are also extremely sensitive to diseases.

The presence of crayfish in the water is a sign of lack of severe contamination. Crayfish cleanse the water of detritus and carrion. Lake Baikal, the deepest in the world (5,371 ft depth), has unusually clear waters. This is due to tiny crustaceans (1,000 weigh 1 mg), which feed on the algae and bacteria that make the water bloom.

TRIVIA ANSWERS:

#1:  They swim backwards, but walk forward

#2: males will have one claw larger than the other. 

#3:  true

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It takes a loon almost a mile of running across the surface of a lake to get airborne. Once in the air, it flies rapidly, with up to 250 wing beats per minute.

Loons have been clocked at speeds up to 80 mph. (In comparison, ducks average 45-60 mph.)

When lakes freeze up in the fall, loons migrate to the ocean. They molt their wing feathers while at sea and are unable to fly for 30-45 days until their feathers grow back.

The bones of most birds are hollow or honeycombed to reduce weight. Loons are built for diving, not flying. Their bones are solid. This helps them submerge, but makes flying difficult.

Loons feed by catching fish underwater. They can dive as deep as 200 feet. (Only penguins can dive deeper.) While their average dive is less than one minute, they can remain underwater for five to ten minutes if they are startled.

During the winter spent on the ocean, loons eat cod, herring, and sea trout. They have a special gland behind their eyes which excretes seawater into its nasal cavity.

Loons in Minnesota weigh an average of 7-9 pounds, while New England loons weigh up to 12 pounds.

There are more loons in Minnesota than in the other Lower 47 states combined.

Their unusual cries, which vary from wails to tremolos to yodels, are distinct to individuals and can be heard at great distances.

Loons have striking red eyes, black heads and necks, and white striping, checkering, and spotting on their backs.

Their predators are diverse and can strie from all directions as they include birds like gulls, ravens, and crows, fish such as pike, and land mammals such as raccoons, weasels, and skunks

They nest lakeside and incubate their eggs for 27 to 30 days.
Hatchlings leave the nest on their first day and are able to fly in about 11 weeks.

The loon has sharp, rearward-pointing projections on the roof of its mouth and tongue that keep it keep a firm hold on slippery fish.

Their legs are placed far back on their bodies, allowing efficient swimming but only awkward movement on land.

Biologists estimate that loon parents and their two chicks can eat about a half-ton of fish over a 15-week period.

Like most young birds, juvenile loons are really on their own after mom and dad leave at about 12 weeks. The parents head off on migration in the fall, leaving juveniles to gather into flocks on northern lakes and make their own journey south a few weeks later. Once the juveniles reach coastal waters on the ocean, they stay there for the next two years. In the third year, young loons return north, although they may not breed for several more years (on average they are six years old when they start breeding).

Migrating Common Loons occasionally land on wet highways or parking lots, mistaking them for rivers and lakes. They become stranded without a considerable amount of open water for long takeoff. A loon may also get stranded on a pond that is too small.

The oldest-known Common Loon lived at least 24 years, 1 month, spending its summers on a lake in Michigan.

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Wood Ducks at the Northern Pike Rearing Pond at CWC

All ducks have highly waterproof feathers as a result of an intricate feather structure and a waxy coating that is spread on each feather while preening. A duck's feathers are so waterproof that even when the duck dives underwater, its downy under layer of feathers will stay completely dry.

Ducks are precocial, which means that ducklings are covered with down and able to walk and leave the nest just a few hours after hatching.

A hen will lead her ducklings up to a half mile or more over land after hatching in order to find a suitable water source for swimming and feeding.

Male ducks have an eclipse plumage similar to females that they wear after the breeding season for about a month as their new feathers grow. During that month, they are completely flightless and more vulnerable to predators.

Most duck species are monogamous for breeding season but they do not mate for life.

When constructing her nest, a hen will line it with soft down feathers she plucks from her own breast. This gives the eggs the best possible cushioning and insulation.

Red Breasted Merganser

Ducks are omnivorous, opportunistic eaters and will eat grass, aquatic plants, insects, seeds, fruit, fish, crustaceans and other types of food.

A duck's bill is specialized to help it forage in mud and to strain food from the water. A hard nail at the tip of the bill helps with foraging, and a comb-like structure on the sides of the bill strains small insects and crustaceans from water.

Most male ducks are silent and very few ducks actually "quack." Instead, their calls may include squeaks, grunts, groans, chirps, whistles, brays and growls.

It is a myth that a duck's quack won't echo. This has been conclusively disproved through different scientific acoustic tests, and was even featured as "busted" on an episode of the Discovery Channel show Mythbusters.

Ducks have been domesticated as pets and farm animals for more than 500 years, and all domestic ducks are descended from either the mallard or the Muscovy duck.

Because of their familiarity and comic nature, ducks are often featured as fictional characters. The two most famous fictional ducks are Disney's Donald Duck, who premiered in 1934, and Warner Bros.' Daffy Duck, who premiered in 1937.

The male Mallard has a glossy green head, grey wings and belly, while the female has a brown-speckled plumage. Mallard ducks have a molting season, they are vulnerable during this time as the molting stops them flying.

Mallard ducks live 5 to 10 years in the wild and 8+ years in captivity.

Ducks have many economic uses. Their feathers, particularly their underlying 'down' feathers, are used in many products, while the white Peking duck is the most common variety raised for eggs and meat.

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Urushiol, the oil from the poison ivy plants that causes the allergic reaction, can stay active on any surface for up to five years. These surfaces could include gardening tools, clothing, and dead plants.

"Leaves of three, let them be" is a common rhyme that works with poison ivy, but not with poison oak and poison sumac (neither of which we have noticed in this neck of the woods.)

Poison ivy has compound leaves, which means that each leaf is comprised of three leaflets. The leaflets are most commonly toothed or lobed, but can also be smooth-edged. Poison ivy leaves are alternate, meaning that they alternate growing on the right side, then the left side, of the main vine. The middle leaflet has a longer stem than the two side ones. The leaves are bigger at the base of the plant.

From spring to summer you can find their leaves shiny green. In the fall their leaves turn reddish orange. The oil, urushiol, contained in this plant is what gives the leaves a glossy, waxy appearance.

The flowers are five grayish, white, yellow or green petals growing in clusters. They are 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch in diameter. The poison ivy plant flowers from May to July. Berries form in summer, and are small, 1/4 inch round, hard white or cream-colored balls drooping from the leaf axils.

The poison ivy plant is a transformer and can take many appearances. It can be a hairy vine climbing up trees and other vertical objects up to 100 feet tall. It can grow as a ground cover up to 2 feet tall, and it can also grow as an erect busy shrub up to 4 feet tall. Don't depend on it's overall appearance alone for identification.

KIM'S TIP:   None of the three leaves on a Poison Ivy leaflet are SYMETRICAL (look for jigs and jags and smooth lines, but notice if they are evenly matched on both sides or not.  If not, you're likely looking at Poison Ivy.  )

POISON IVY RELIEF:

If you do contract a rash, it could show up in as early as four hours on your skin. It can also take as long as 48 hours to break out. You might get a simple red rash, your skin could streak, your eyes could swell shut or your skin could bubble and blister.

Contrary to popular belief, poison ivy isn't contagious, nor does it spread to other parts of your body (though it may seem like it does because the rash takes time to fully materialize.)

The only way it can be transmitted is through contact with the oil itself, so if you find yourself afflicted with the rash it's important to track down every last trace of urushiol.

Wash your skin thoroughly the instant you realize you've come into contact with the itchy plant. If urushiol is washed off before it is fully absorbed into the skin, you can minimize the damage. You've got about 10 minutes, so get moving.

Don't attempt to destroy the offending plants or any contaminated items with fire. Urushiol can become airborn when burned, and you do not want to be inhaling that stuff.

Natural home remedies to remedy the poison ivy rash:

• Baking soda: Make a thick paste and apply to the rash area, it will dry out the blisters and relieve the itch.
• Witch Hazel: a natural alternative to rubbing alcohol, witch hazel is an astringent that's great for cleansing and drying the blisters.
• Oatmeal: grind up oatmeal and add to a warm bath; the oatmeal will help relieve the itching immediately (you can also make an oatmeal poultice to cover the affected area--leave on for 15 minutes then was off gently.

Over-the-counter pharmacy aids:  Calamine Lotion, Cortisol Creams, etc.

If you're especially fed up with poison ivy, you can try moving to Alaska or Hawaii, both of which are toxicodendron-free (lacking poison ivy/oak/sumac), however you may just be trading in contact dermatitis for bigger problems like bears and volcanoes.

MORE INFO to identify Stinging Nettles, etc.

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Green Heron:

The green heron is relatively small; adult body is about 17 inches.

Adults have a glossy, greenish-black cap, a greenish back and wings that are grey-black grading into green or blue, a chestnut neck with a white line down the front, grey underparts and short yellow legs. The bill is dark with a long, sharp point.

The green heron's call is a loud and sudden kyow; it also makes a series of more subdued kuk calls.

The species is most conspicuous during dusk and dawn, and if anything these birds are nocturnal rather than diurnal, preferring to retreat to sheltered areas in daytime.

Green herons are intolerant of other birds when feeding and are not seen to forage in groups. They typically stand still on shore or in shallow water or perch upon branches and await prey.

Sometimes they drop food, insects, or other small objects on the water's surface to attract fish, making them one of the few known tool-using species.

They are able to hover briefly to catch prey.

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Q: What's green green green green green?
A: A frog rolling down a hill

Toads and frogs  are collectively known as anurans--tailless amphibians. The 14 species of toads and frogs found in Minnesota are grouped into three families: toads, treefrogs, and true frogs. All species within each family share similar features, but each individual species has its own unique breeding call, survival strategy, and environmental niche.

Over thousands of years, Minnesota's toads and frogs have adapted to survive a wide range of conditions. By learning more about these amphibians, their habitats, and their survival methods, Minnesotans can better appreciate why we need to conserve the wetlands, grasslands, and forests where these fascinating animals live. Their presence is an indication that we are doing a good job of preserving wetland habitat and water quality. Conversely, when toads and frogs disappear, it could mean the ecosystems that sustain them are ailing.   MN DNR

Kim found this little gray tree frog in the sliding front door top seal of Cabin #9, August 2016 while attending some last minute cleaning details.

More Cringe-Worthy Frog Jokes:

Q: Why are frogs so happy?
A: They eat whatever bugs 'em!

Q: What happens when two frogs collide?
A: They get tongue tied!

Q: How does a frog feel when he has a broken leg?
A: Unhoppy.

Q: What happens when you mix a frog with a bathtub scrubby-mitt?
A: A rubbit!

Q: Why did the frog read Sherlock Holmes?
A: He liked a good croak and dagger.

Q: What happened to the frog's car when his parking meter expired?
A: It got toad!!

Q: What is a frog's favorite game?
A: Croaket

Q: What did the frog order at McDonald's?
A: A hoppy meal with French flies and a diet croak

Q: Why did the frog say meow?
A: He was learning a foreign language.

Q: Why did the frog go to the hospital?
A: He needed a "hopperation" !

Q: Who is the thirstiest frog in the world?
A: The one who drinks Canada Dry!

Q: How deep can a frog go?
A: Knee-deep, knee-deep!

Q: What do stylish frogs wear?
A: Jumpsuits!

Q: What does a bankrupt frog say?
A: "Baroke, baroke, baroke."

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Spider Facts

• Spiders are not insects.  Insects have three body parts and six legs.  Spiders have eight legs and two body parts, the abdomen and the thorax.
• Spiders have silk spinning glands called spinnerets, at the tip of their abdomen.
• Not all spiders spin webs.
• Spiders belong to the Arachnid family.
• There are more than 30,000 species of spiders.
• Spiders are oviparous, which means their babies come from eggs.
• Most spiders have either six or eight eyes.
• All spiders have fangs, through which venom is ejected.  Spider bites can be quite painful, and a select few can be fatal.  (The brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, is common outdoors and indoors in the southern and central United States. It is uncommon to extremely rare in the Upper Midwest. Only one specimen has been recorded in Minnesota (1953, Lake County.  MN DNR)***
  
• Fear of spiders is called Arachniphobia.  It is one of the most common fears among humans.
• Tarantulas shed their furry skin as they grow, leaving behind what looks just like another tarantula.
• Spiders eat many types of harmful insects, helping to keep your garden free of  pests.
   

83 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT SPIDERS - click here (fascinating!)

***Spider bites - University of Minnesota Extension

Jeffrey Hahn, Phil Pellitteri and Donald Lewis

Most people are aware that spiders are very beneficial because they eat insects, still there is much confusion and unwarranted fear of the potential harm spiders might do to people. Spiders rank just behind bees and wasps as the most feared arthropod. It is common for any unexplained skin irritation to be called a "spider bite."

Research has shown that over 80{c55c8048ce70815a53cedbe8c58af6e7018bd1f9249d13e1ed06da752e55b489} of suspected "spider bites" are caused by other arthropods, such as insects and ticks, or other disease states. Of the more than 3,000 kinds of spiders in the United States, about 60 species have been implicated as causing medically significant bites to people. Many spiders are not capable of breaking the skin with their fangs while other species contain venom that causes no reaction. Spiders are usually very timid and will only bite in self-defense if mishandled, cornered, or injured. Even when they bite, spiders do not always inject venom. The severity of the reaction to a spider bite will differ among individuals. Most spider bites are less painful than a bee sting.

Actual spider bites show two puncture marks although the wound is not always obvious. A rather typical reaction may involve localized reddening and various degrees of swelling, itching, and pain. Within a few hours a small red, blue, or black discoloration can develop around the bite site. The area may remain tender for a few days, and eventually a small sore can develop that soon begins healing. Accurate identification of any spider bite can only be made if the spider causing the bite is captured and identified.

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Typical day in a logging camp

A day in the life of a lumberjack - from a story written in 1894 (click here).

Washing clothes in frigid winter temps at a logging camp in Minnesota

Local area resident talking about stories from logging camps as she remembers it. (click here)

Local Akeley historian Nils Kraemer swears there's a sled train at the bottom of 11th Crow Wing Lake - sunk when spring thaw came too early one year back around 1900.

Akeley lumber mill history by local historian Nils Kraemer for the Park Rapids Enterprise (click here).

Poling logs downstream (what kind of balance did these guys have? Freezing water dunks are no fun.)

Marvelous Exploits of Paul Bunyan and his Big Blue Ox  (PDF version) (click here)

Photo op in Akeley, MN with biggest Paul Bunyan statue in the world

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