Wadsworth resident Andrea Lovell took her preschooler outside to play and came face-to-face with a beast — well, sort of.
“Oh my, a dinosaur!” shouted little Hayden.
Lovell estimated that the snapping turtle was about 40 inches long from head to tail and had a shell slightly smaller than a garbage can lid.
Every June, one of the creatures sashays across the lawn, making her way from a pond to nearby woods and then back again. And, yes, it’s a she — wandering into the woods to lay eggs.
After looking at pictures that Lovell took of her visitor, Elizabeth Kresse, a naturalist with Summit Metro Parks, said that Ohio’s largest snapping turtles can weigh just over 60 pounds and have a shell measuring 20 inches in length. But the average is somewhere between 10 to 35 pounds and 8 to 14 inches long.
“They are widespread throughout Summit County, but they are more likely to be found in rural or suburban areas,” Kresse said. “The females will lay about 80 eggs in late spring to early summer.”
They dig nests in places like fields, gravel banks or pond and lake banks. They lay their eggs, and then cover them up.
“Many nests are predated by raccoon and skunks that will dig them up. After hatching, young turtles can be predated by blue herons, water snakes and bass,” Kresse explained.
“One really interesting fact is that the sex of the young turtle is determined by their incubation temperature. Eggs at the bottom are generally cooler and become males, while eggs at the top are warmer and develop into females,” she said.
And don’t get too close. That dinosaur could take off your finger, or worse.
Giving
• It’s nearly the third anniversary of Medina County’s Habitat for Humanity ReStore. A celebration will take place at the store on Saturday at 342 E. Smith Road, Medina.
There will be cookies, popcorn and coffee from 8 to 11 a.m. and grilled hot dogs between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. In-store specials include 20 percent off already reduced prices on all lighting fixtures, and single-serve coffee pots are only $5, while supplies last.
All store proceeds go to support Habitat building projects in Medina County.
• The 10th annual Joshua Glatz Golf Outing to benefit the benevolent fund in his name is being held on July 18 at Cherokee Hills Golf Course in Valley City. Check-in is at 8:30 a.m.
Joshua, of Twinsburg, 15, was born without a pulmonary valve. By age 5, he had been through six catheterizations and three major heart surgeries.
The purpose of the fundraiser is to build a medical fund for current and future expenses.
The golf and dinner package includes breakfast, lunch, GPS golf cart, dinner and raffle. Golf and dinner is $110, golf only is $75 and dinner only is $40.
For more information or to register, visit www.jggolf.snappages.com.
• Service to others is one of the finest gifts an individual can give. There are many men and women who give extraordinary time and energy to our community every day and receive little or no recognition. The Friends of Hower House have established an award to be given in recognition of outstanding community service.
They are asking you and members of your organization to consider who may be worthy of receiving this award for outstanding volunteer service. Service need not only be to your organization but also to other groups and projects in the community.
The nomination process is simple and should not be a surprise to the nominee. Winners will be selected by the Service Award Committee of the Friends of Hower House.
For more information, or to get a form, contact Linda Bussey at the Hower House, 330-972-6909 or by going to www.howerhouse.org.
Kim Hone-McMahan can be reached at 330-996-3742 or kmcmahan@thebeaconjournal.com. Find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kim.honemcmahan.