[FIELDNOTE] Shore Crab

We are incredibly fortunate on this little island to have nature right at our doorstep (quite literally). It's very easy for us to find an empty beach or wander the woods with never bumping into another soul. With all the schools being shut down right now, and the expectation to continue our children's education at home, I can't think of a more perfect time to take advantage of all the wonders nature has to offer. The spring is a great time of year to explore our forests, ponds, tide pools - endless learning opportunities for both the kids and me!

To start this first week of homeschooling off, Chloe loaded up her 'adventure pack' with various critter containers, hand sanitizer, sketchbook, pencils and ziplock bags (she is so my daughter), and together we explored a hidden trail that took us to a beautiful tiny beach. 

We had so much fun watching the little barnacles have lunch, and finding tiny starfish under the rocks. While beach combing, we came across an odd gelatinous creature on the bottom of a rock (very curious) and uncovered some beautiful mama crabs whose undersides were filled with eggs!

We decided to learn more about our common shore crab and thought I'd share with you a few fun facts:

Shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) are a common crustacean that are often found around the sea shore. They come in a variety of colours such as green or brown. They have eight legs and two large pincers. The width across the shell is up to 5 centimetres (2.0 in). The usual width is about 2 to 3 centimetres (0.79 to 1.18 in).

Shore crabs are a nocturnal predator which means it hunts at night. They eat small crustaceans, molluscs, worms and some fish.

A female shore crab can lay up to nearly 200 thousand eggs at once. They carry the eggs with them until they hatch. Like most crabs, when a shore crab gets too big for its shell, it sheds it and has a new soft shell that eventually hardens. 

WOW!! Two hundred thousand eggs at once!! This is the time of year that we see these little mamas scuttling around our seashores - just remember to gently role back any rocks you overturned after exploring. Homeschooling at it's best!!