Why do some hatchling turtles stay in the nest over the winter? Molly and Matthew - along with fellow AU turtle collaborator Dr. Dan Warner - posed this question in their paper that was just published Folkerts Caldwell, Warner, & Wolak. 2026. J. Exp. Zool. Part A!
In a lab experiment Molly conducted through the COVID pandemic, we evaluated the consequences of incubation and overwintering conditions on hatchling pond turtle (Trachemys scripta) performance as measured by righting response. Yup, we flipped baby turtles on their backs and timed how long they struggled to right themselves. Our data suggest that turtles spending the winter in the nest (as opposed to dispersing to a pond), which we think is how hatchling sliders typically overwinter, were better equipped for overland dispersal. This suggests why delayed dispersal from a nest might be favored by natural selection. Read the paper to hear the full story!