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Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,893
9,500
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
I read this post and started searching for the "like" button, ha!
It was a really pretty day, glad y'all enjoyed it.



Ooooh, sounds beautiful! I've never seen a live horseshoe crab...

they are creepy when upside down!!!! :lolabove: they get as big as a garbage can lid, and often you see them turned over, and their underside is like lots of giant roach legs. as it turns out, they are not crabs. they are related to spiders and scorpions. and have been around for over 200 million years.

you can find tons of "dead" ones on the beach. but they aren't dead - they have molted and left their entire intact shell/tail on the shore. they have long lifespans - 10 to 20 years.

they are good guys though. they provide eggs for migrating birds. and they are important for scientific research and for their use in medicine. plus a substance from the shell contains healing and other properties used to treat many conditions.. and is used to make many products such as contact lenses. who knew.
 
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DD

SoWal Expert
Aug 29, 2005
23,871
463
73
grapevine, tx. /On the road to SoWal
they are creepy when upside down!!!! :lolabove: they get as big as a garbage can lid, and often you see them turned over, and their underside is like lots of giant roach legs. as it turns out, they are not crabs. they are they are related to spiders and scorpions. and have been around for over 200 million years.

you can find tons of "dead" ones on the beach. but they aren't dead - they have molted and left their entire intact shell/tail on the shore. they have long lifespans - 10 to 20 years.

they are good guys though. they provide eggs for migrating birds. and they are important for scientific research and for their use in medicine. plus a substance from the shell contains healing and other properties used to treat many conditions.. and is used to make many products such as contact lenses. who knew.

Wow, Toots. You are up on your crabs/spiders/scorpions.:clap:
I have a shell that a very special SoWaller gave me. :love:
 

Teresa

SoWal Guide
Staff member
Nov 15, 2004
30,893
9,500
South Walton, FL
sowal.com
Wow, Toots. You are up on your crabs/spiders/scorpions.:clap:
I have a shell that a very special SoWaller gave me. :love:
well, we were so fascinated by the huge numbers of horseshoe crabs on Carrabelle last fall, I had to read up. There is a lot of really interesting information on them. They are a protected species because they are so prehistoric and because they have such a contribution to science, etc. their numbers were dwindling due to being used as bait - but I think they are stable.

which shell??
 

DD

SoWal Expert
Aug 29, 2005
23,871
463
73
grapevine, tx. /On the road to SoWal
well, we were so fascinated by the huge numbers of horseshoe crabs on Carrabelle last fall, I had to read up. There is a lot of really interesting information on them. They are a protected species because they are so prehistoric and because they have such a contribution to science, etc. their numbers were dwindling due to being used as bait - but I think they are stable.

which shell??

A horseshoe crab shell.
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,039
1,984
We saw lots of horseshoe crabs in Cedar Key, and they were very plentiful at Belleair Beach, where we used to go 'cause my grandparents had a place there. But all I remember was LOTS of horseshoe crabs and red tide every other year., so spring break was spent burying dead fish.

It was a perfect night- just cool enough to have a fire on the porch!
 

Hop

Beach Fanatic
Oct 1, 2006
2,228
182
52
Dune Allen
www.myspace.com
The surf was funn on Friday...wetsuit is a must...
 

Gidget

Beach Fanatic
May 27, 2009
2,452
638
Blue Mtn Beach!!
Watercourseway lol on like button!! :D:D

What a great thread. Thanks for sharing. I HOPE to get to BMB today - I was out at the lot at 430 this morning and oh my, I hadn't seen stars like that since back home on my dirt road out in the middle of nowhere. That's a huge plus having less light pollution.

But back to beach. It is a sign of things to come. Flip flops and tank tops and no more hunching over cold. Salads and smoothies and cool drinks.

Enjoy the day all! Should be a nice one!

G
 
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