In early summer wild strawberries bloom along roadsides, forest openings, and meadows throughout Wisconsin. Soon they will give way to an important crop of wild strawberries which feeds wildlife of all sizes from tiny mice to big bears. One of the many interesting creatures that rely on wild strawberries for their summer food are wood turtles. These secretive smallish turtles have a sweet tooth for wild berries and are one of the most long-lived wild creatures in Wisconsin.
As you might suspect, wood turtles do just about everything slowly. For starters, it can take them 12-20 years to reach maturity and begin breeding. This seems long, but for a creature that routinely lives 50 to over 100 years, patience can pay off.
Prime wood turtle habitat includes cold, rocky streams and natural forests, wetlands and glades. As omnivores they eat a varied diets of fruits, vegetation, insects, worms, and fish. They are also famous for their ability to “call” worms out of their burrows using a foot stomp and tummy slam dance to call worms out of their tunnels to eat them. If only we could train them to help gather fishing bait!
At Horicon Bank, we too have been around a long time and possess unique talents. Since 1896 Horicon Bank has been working to help build our communities, making us one of the oldest community banks in Wisconsin. In that time, we have developed a deep and tailored suite of one-of-a kind banking services which support businesses and individuals at all stages of life.
Whether you need a personal debit card, financing for a new home, treasury management support, or a business loan Horicon Bank has you covered. Our fast, friendly, approach to customer service and excellent savings options and loan services are key reasons customers have been flocking to Horicon Bank for over 128 years. With nineteen locations in communities from the Green Lake to the Grafton, online access, and our industry-leading digital branch, Horicon Bank is the Natural Choice for customers everywhere. Please fly into any branch location to meet our team and try some of customized services today!