June 7 - June 13 Discover nature this week as snapping turtles lay their eggs deep in the sand. Turtles are generally harmless. Those that live in water eat plants, crayfish, snails, insects, and carrion. They are an important part of the lifecycle in any body of water. Alligator snapping turtles live only in the few natural aquatic habitats remaining in Missouri’s Bootheel. It’s the largest species of freshwater turtle in the world and is said to be very shy. Common snapping turtles are found