At this time of year, snapping turtles are searching for good places to lay their eggs. Keep an eye out for them as they try to cross roads. Remember to give them plenty of space; they can be defensive if threatened, so treat them with respect. This collection of images from past editions of our Photo Contest shows these often misunderstood animals in all of their craggy beauty.

Read more about turtles crossing roads and laying eggs in yards, and discover all the turtle species in Massachusetts.

2014 Photo Contest Entry © Kathryn Dannay

2014 Photo Contest Entry © Jennifer Freitas

2012 Photo Contest Entry © Jim Morelly

2013 Photo Contest Entry © Terry Hoog

2012 Photo Contest Entry © Susumu Kishihara

Have a great shot of your own? Enter our 2015 Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest!

Lady’s slippers are blooming. Named for their shoe-like flower shape, these unusual plants are members of the orchid family. They’re long-lived and take years to flower for the first time. Though the pink lady’s slipper is relatively easy to spot, our other species are much more rare. Here are five exquisite portraits of these orchids from our past Photo Contests.

Pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule), 2013 Photo Contest Entry © Monica Alley

Yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum), 2011 Photo Contest Entry © Linda Sullivan

Pink lady’s slippers (Cypripedium acaule), 2014 Photo Contest Entry © Henry Josephson

Showy lady’s slipper (Cypripedium reginae), 2011 Photo Contest Entry © Gail S. Platz

Pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule), 2010 Photo Contest Entry © Rebecca Skinner

Have a great shot of your own? Enter our 2015 Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest!