Yes, she was probably laying eggs. We had a big snapping turtle walking around the nursery a couple years ago in early summer and later we had baby snapping turtles show up around some of the Astilbe pots (she picked a good spot to lay them, as the Astilbe get plenty of water). If predators don't dig up that spot to get at the eggs you will probably see baby turtles in your hostas. I think they hatch the same year.

I checked this morning, dug down a bit. No eggs, no turtle. Maybe she/he was just digging down to escape the heat, they do that in July and August here when it gets hot. The mulch was cool, and damp. Or maybe because I disturbed it, it moved from that spot to lay eggs elsewhere, as they do lay eggs from May to July in Missouri, as I found out.

It was pretty funny anyway to feel that lump move!

Sandy

ps I found the turtle and it is a male, so I guess there isn't any egg-laying going on!

This post was edited by mosswitch on Wed, Jul 17, 13 at 11:22

Sandy, how do you know it's a male? Did it make a pass at you? I don't know much about turtles; I'm gonna guess you picked it up, turned it upside down, and saw....something?

I do know on Snapping turtles they are pretty easy to sex, the females have a short tail and the males tail is much longer ... nearly as long as their shell...

Male turtles have red eyes, a concave shell on the bottom, and their tail is fat (that's where their junk is). Females have brown eyes, a convex or flat bottom shell, and skinny tails. Easy to tell them apart, once you know.
.

Sandy