Where Can I Find Sand Crabs at Night?
Many families spend hours hunting for and chasing ghost crabs during the summer season. They call it ghost crabbing, and it has become a beloved beach vacation tradition. Families use flashlights and pails to search for these tiny crustaceans; not only does this provide them with hours of entertainment, but they also create memories that will last a lifetime.
Where Can I Find Sand Crabs at Night?
The best place to spot sand crabs at night is along the beaches of Gulf Shores or Orange Beach. Water temperatures are cooler at night, making it much harder for predators to spot these small creatures.
These sea shells can typically be found near the water’s edge between high tide and an outer sand bar that’s accessible during low tide. Occasionally, they may even be found between the tops of sand berms created when waves crash onto the beach.
These tiny crabs can be difficult to capture, but once in your grasp they will be harmless. To capture one safely, sprinkle some sand onto it; this will give the crab a feeling of security and reduce the likelihood that it will run away.
One way to catch sand crabs is with a net. The ideal nets are round with thin wires that will scoop up the sand without hurting any crabs inside them.
Once you’ve caught a crab, gently release it and ensure its gills don’t dry out. These are essential for breathing. Once you’re finished with them, store them in either an unlipped plastic container or wrap them in damp newspaper for storage.
Ghost Crabs
These nocturnal sand crabs are most active at night when they dig burrows and repair them. They live on sandy beaches just above the waterline, where their spiral burrows provide insulation from the heat of the sun.
They are typically seen at the edge of the sand, where they can watch the waves come and go. At low tide, they may also be observed on land but do not spend any time submerged in the ocean.
They differ from aquatic creatures in that they are terrestrial rather than aquatic and possess gills which allow them to breathe oxygen. Most active at night, but can often be observed on the sand surface during daylight hours as well.
Sand crabs gather near the high tide mark during spring and summer to spawn. Male sand crabs secrete a substance which hardens their sperm so they cannot be fertilized by rival sand crabs.
Sand crab females can lay up to 45,000 eggs. Once these hatch within 30 days, the young crabs begin their life cycle.
Sand crabs typically live two to three years, depending on water temperature and their diet. They can be caught and kept as bait or sold for a profit.
