In this month of the sign of Cancer the Crab, a very happy birthday to my favorite Maryland crab, [personal profile] mews1945! :-D *squooshes you*

Primehook, DE, 071012
I took a detour on my way up to feeding my feral cat friend on the eastern shore last week and went out to Primehook Beach on the Delaware Bay inlet for an hour of pretty beach walking. And in honor of [personal profile] mews1945's birthday, I have a horsehoe crab story.

Horseshoe Crab, Primehook Beach, DE 1.071012
I've seen a lot of horseshoe crabs on Atlantic beaches, and this one was really covered with them, but all the ones I've seen were dead and dried, washed up on the beach. This one, however, was trucking her way down the beach from the high tide line down to the water.


Horseshoe Crab, Primehook Beach, DE  2.071012
You can see her tracks here. She was going slow, so I gave her a lift for a few feet, dragging her along, to help her on her way. You can see where I picked her up from where the track treads end.

Horseshoe Crab, Primehook Beach, DE 3.071012
I was fascinated by her tracks. They look just like tire treads.

Horseshoe Crab, Primehook Beach, DE 4.071012
She was really big--about a foot and a half across and two feet long, not counting her tail.

Horseshoe Crab, Primehook Beach, DE  5.071012
She got turned over at one point before being far enough to be lifted under, so I helped her turn over. A few more waves and she made her way in and disappeared into the ocean.

After that, I turned over what ones I saw laying upside down on the beach, just in case some of them were alive. I always thought the ones I saw on the beach were just washed up and dying, but I read that's not always the case. Apparently, they lay their eggs in holes they dig on the beach, and then make their way back into the sea.
lbilover: (boxing hares)

From: [personal profile] lbilover


Oh how cool! I don't think I've ever seen one alive myself, but plenty that were dead (or appeared to be dead). You're right- the tracks do look like tire treads!!
spiralsheep: Flowers (skywardprodigal Cog Flowers)

From: [personal profile] spiralsheep


What a marvellous creature. I'm glad you enjoyed meeting her. Thank you for sharing. Are the rough patches on her shell (?do horseshoe crabs have shells?) growing creatures like barnacles?

I saw a grey unicorn cloud in a pink and blue sunset recently and thought of you and your cloud stories. :-)

From: [identity profile] romeny.livejournal.com


She's a big as a turtle. Weren't you afraid she'd snap at you when you flipped her?

From: [identity profile] lavendertook.livejournal.com


Yeah, the legs of the big ones I saw on their backs didn't seem to extend to the edge of the shell, so I grabbed her just along the edge to drag her along. I've since read that they have very weak pincers, and you'd have to really jam yourself to get stabbed by their tail--they're not envenomed--it's a rudder, not a weapon. They're pretty harmless, so I'll worry less about that next time I handle one and give it a smoother lift.

I like your tide icon. (-:
shirebound: (Default)

From: [personal profile] shirebound


How interesting! I've never seen a live one, either. These are great pics.

From: [identity profile] lavendertook.livejournal.com


Or maybe we both have and didn't recognize it. I'll be checking out more of them I see on the beach now to right the ones on their backs, if they look whole.

Thank you! (-:

From: [identity profile] lavendertook.livejournal.com


It is. Though there were quite a few about that big on this beach, which seems to be the most happening place for Atlantic horseshoe crabs on the make. I think they have to be at least a decade old to get that big, and definitely female.

From: [identity profile] lavendertook.livejournal.com


The hobbit dolls have taught me that the world is even more beautiful from hobbit doll eye view, if not more perilous. So I take a lot of pics from below knee level now, like that first one. (-:

From: [identity profile] jan-u-wine.livejournal.com


yes, many a thing will you miss at human adult level. Hobbits see thru a 'child's eye" in so many ways......

From: [identity profile] verangel.livejournal.com


These are the most bizarre ancient creatures. I know primehook! I remember going to Slaughter Beach one time to see the horseshoe crab mating season. It looked like hundreds of them all over on the beach. They were clanking around all over. First time I ever saw one I couldn't help but think it looked like something from the Outer Limits. Hugs you tons and love these pictures! xooxoxoxox v

From: [identity profile] lavendertook.livejournal.com


Well, they have been around 300 million years, so they're entitled to be as weird old geezers as they wanna be.(-; I went to check out Slaughter Beach for my first time last month--it did have just as many horseshoe crabs as Primehook. Primehook Beach is not as full of rocks as Slaughter Beach, so it has more sea shells. That must have been amazing to see so many on the move. (-: *squooshes you*

From: [identity profile] lavendertook.livejournal.com


Technically, they're not crabs, but a little more closely related to spiders and scorpions, but none of them have expressed concern over being called horseshoe crabs, so we'll keep calling them that. (-;

From: [identity profile] browngirl.livejournal.com


Wow, I think you met Grandma Horseshoe Crab. She's massive!@

From: [identity profile] lavendertook.livejournal.com


It may have been the Grandmas' Meet up, because there were quite a few almost as big on the beach. Delaware Bay seems to be their favorite place to party and have meet ups along the Atlantic.

From: [identity profile] mews1945.livejournal.com


That's really fascinating. I've never seen a live horseshoe crab. I'm glad you helped her get back to the water. Thank you for the birthday wishes. *hugs*

From: [identity profile] lavendertook.livejournal.com


I might have seen one in the water before, but I never saw one walking down the beach. You're welcome--I'm glad it was a good one. *hugs*
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