CNN) -- Love is in the air at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. More than 150 turtles crossed over an active runway and disrupted air traffic on Wednesday so that they could continue their mating season.

The diamondback terrapins were trying to get to an ideal location to lay their eggs. That's a sandy area that happens to be across Runway 4, according to Carol Bannerman of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The turtles were primarily female, and the fertilization of their eggs occurs in the water, she said.

JFK is surrounded by a bay and wetland areas.
(http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/06/29/new.york.turtles.airport/index.html?&hpt=hp_c2)