Homeowner does double-take at 'surprise' discovery in backyard: 'Something you don't see every day'

When you invite nature to the party, you never know who might turn up.

A Reddit user posting in the r/gardening subreddit showed a delightful example of a snapping turtle who decided to use their newly constructed garden bed as a nesting site.

The post, titled "Well this was a surprise," featured a couple of photos of the turtle that they affectionately called a "lovely lady" preparing a spot to lay her eggs. The turtle appeared in their yard for the first time while they were working on a garden project.

As the photo showed, it dug a shallow hole next to the garden bed wall to create an ideal spot.

"We are a bit excited to see baby turtles in a few months (hopefully)," the original poster concluded.

Commenters identified the mother as a snapping turtle and wanted to know more about why it chose the spot. The OP clarified that they don't live near a pond, so the sighting was unexpected. They do have a small stream that extends out of their property, where they saw the turtle heading after laying the eggs.

The moment showed the excitement of creating an animal-friendly lawn. As the Chesapeake Bay Program puts it, snapping turtles are something of an "evolutionary wonder" with close links to another reptile going back 40 million years. 

They play a valuable role in the ecosystem as apex predators, consuming just about everything and thus helping to manage pests. Their eggs and young that don't survive also provide food for other animals. 

Fortunately, they're faring well as a species, and the OP doesn't have to take any rash actions for the eggs' survival. That isn't the case for alligator snapping turtles, which are being reintroduced in Kansas.

A well-planned rewilding with plants such as milkweed and honeysuckle can attract foxes, monarch butterflies, hummingbirds, and other diverse wildlife to your yard. 

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Putting in native plants such as clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping are also excellent options for creating sustainable and cost-effective green spaces. Even partial lawn replacements can improve biodiversity, reduce water bills and maintenance, and help pollinators such as bumblebees.

Other Redditors were loving the mama turtle's visit as much as the OP.

"That's something you don't see every day," one wrote.

"A beautiful and misunderstood animal that hasn't changed much since before the dinosaurs," another commenter marveled.

One person joked: "Where'd you get the seeds for this?"

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