Ryan
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herpbiologist.bsky.social
Ryan
@herpbiologist.bsky.social
Conservation Biologist, Herpetology enthusiast, podcast host (Let’s Talk Turtles)! If you like turtles and/or football I think we’ll be friends!
I love northwest Michigan. ❤️ #Michigan
July 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Pancake tortoises are some of the strangest and most beautiful of chelonians. I love watching these two eat! #herps 🐢
June 29, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Sometimes I wonder what folks would think I do if they saw my desk? 🌎 🐢 😂
June 10, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Bear corn (but no bears, lol 😢) and a few salamanders while doing a survey near this bridge. #herps 🌎 🦎
May 29, 2025 at 11:16 PM
My son told me our turtles outside were having a ceremony… #herps 🐢
May 25, 2025 at 10:12 PM
They’ve been here 220+ million years so let’s make sure they stick around longer.

Love them, respect them, protect them. 🐢 #herps #worldturtleday
May 23, 2025 at 6:48 PM
They’re also incredible people indicators as folks who don’t like turtles are waving BIG red flag 🚩 #herps #worldturtleday 🐢
May 23, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Happy World Turtle Day! Turtles are amazing:

They 1) cycle nutrients, 2) act as both prey and predator in the food web, 3) disperse seeds 4) and can even control algae in our water ways. #herps
#worldturtleday
May 23, 2025 at 6:48 PM
This is the third straight year these little dinosaurs are nesting in our backyard 😃 🐦 #backyardwildlife #easternbluebird
May 21, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Also found some Doll’s Eyes, Dead Man’s Fingers, Wrinkled Peach and an unknown (to me) brood started erupting! 🌎 #Fungus #cicada
May 18, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Spent some time this week collecting Eastern Leatherwood seeds. They will be propagated and/or become part of a woodland seed mix for restoration purposes. As always with me, I tend to find some #herps when doing things 😃 🌎
May 18, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Always nice to check up on a county rare population (that was last surveyed almost 30 years ago) to find it still thriving 😊 🌎 #herps 🦎 Northern Dusky Salamander, multiple age classes!
May 13, 2025 at 11:14 PM
I’ve been busy, but check out this glorious forested field of Mayapple! 🌎
May 8, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Let’s continue and point out some other fun stuff! Paw Paw blossom, Poppy Celendine, Mayapple field and an American Toad! 🐸 #herps #nativeplants 🌎
April 27, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Headed out to begin the process of harvesting Leatherwood (Dirca palustris) seeds for future production for restoration purposes. This is a high quality forest and there were plenty of other great signs of that! Bloodroot, Wood Betony and Jack-in-the-Pulpit 😀 🌎
April 27, 2025 at 1:06 PM
I mean, Wow. Northern Ringneck Snakes are simply gorgeous. #herps 🐍 🌎
April 24, 2025 at 10:18 PM
There were indeed turtles! Happy Earth Day 😊 #herps
April 22, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Turtle survey day! A great day indeed! I’ll update the spoils (if any) later. 😀 🐢 🌎 #herps
April 21, 2025 at 11:51 PM
It’s about that time! Take a walk through your local park and see if you can find some spring ephemeral wild flowers! 😀 🌎

Two of my favorites below, Dutchman’s Breeches and White Trout Lily!
April 21, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Here’s a still photo of the stunning little Lamp! 🐍 #herps

3/3
April 20, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Well, I couldn’t just leave it stuck in there! #herps 🐍 🌎

2/3
April 20, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Found this little Eastern Milksnake stuck in an old cistern during a field site visit. Think maybe it was trying to scavenge that deceased toad? 1/3
🐍 #herps 🌎
April 20, 2025 at 2:01 AM
I am very pleased with this little one’s development! ☀️

#herps 🐢
April 20, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Here are the two from the photos. 😊 🐢
April 16, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Spotted a couple Woodland Boxies today while inspecting/scouting some new property. Can you find them?!?! 🐢 #herps 🌎
April 15, 2025 at 12:35 AM