Spring and early summer is nesting season for turtles. The females tend to lay eggs during a drop in barometric pressure which usually precedes rain or a thunderstorm. They may dig several false nests before finally deciding on the perfect spot. Nesting can take anywhere between 12 and 24 hours.

If you find a turtle on your property, assume she is nesting and keep children and pets away from the nesting site. She will find her way back to a water source after she is done laying her eggs. Turtles do not stay at the nesting site to incubate the eggs and, depending upon temperature, the eggs will hatch in 90 to 120 days.

Turtles frequently cross roads during the breeding season. If you find a turtle on the road, move it to the side in the direction it was going.

Although it may be tempting, do not remove a turtle from the wild to become a child's pet. It is illegal in Michigan to take turtles from their wild habitat. Observe them in their natural habitat. They can be a fascinating nature study for you and your children.