We have quite the variety of crabs on this wonderful Island.
The most commonly known crab is the Blue Crab, many people enjoy a meal of
these while visiting. We have many different species of crabs that call Hilton
Head their home, I am just going to discuss one of them this week. You can also
learn more about this wonderful animal on our Dolphin & Nature Cruise.
The most well known local crab is the Blue Crab. Some consider
the Blue Crab the prize of the “Lowcountry”. Blue Crabs are in the crustacean
family. We will discuss the blue crab on our Dolphin & Nature Tour. They
can be found in the salty and brackish marsh creeks and ocean surf. You don’t
want to step on these little guys or you may get an unexpected surprise! Blue
crabs do molt, their age determines how often. When they are in the molting
stage and have not regained their new harder shell, this is what is referred to
as a soft shell crab. You can find these at local restaurants, primarily in the
spring. Many consider these to be a delicacy and an extra treat. It is rare
that you will catch a soft shell or molting crab while crabbing, they tend to
hide until their shell hardens. If you
decide to try your hand at catching these crabs, they must be a minimum of 5
inches tip to tip to keep. Keeping females of any size is discouraged and you
are unable to keep them if they have an orange sponge of eggs. April thru
October is crab season here, many people use chicken necks or legs for bait.
You can visit the South Carolina DNR website for all of their rules and
regulations for recreational crabbing and the limits on what to keep. A few of
their favorite meals consist of other small crabs like fiddler crabs, clams,
seaweed and dead fish. Crabs are bottom
feeders, they are considered a tasty treat by a variety of shore birds, larger
fish and people. If they loose a claw or leg they are able to regenerate it, a
new one will grow back by 1 month after loosing the previous claw or leg. They
have 10 limbs with 2 being pinchers. Blue crabs are able to walk and swim. You
can always tell the difference between male and female crabs by their
underbelly. The male has a slim elongated hinge and the female has a wider
hinge that looks like a triangle. The female crabs also have red on the tips of their pinchers, making it look they have been painted. The female crabs can have up to 2 million
orange colored eggs on their abdomen. The crabs will be born in seaweed and
take a full year to reach adult size. Less than 1% of the eggs will survive.
Luckily the female crabs with eggs are protected to help with the future crab
population.
If you get to see these guys up close, they are fun to watch
them walk and scurry around. The way they raise and yield their pinchers gives a good warning if trying to pick them up. If you enjoy seafood, getting fresh crabs is
quite the treat, if seafood is not your thing, even watching them is a treat in
itself!
As always, my facts are from reputable sources. For more
information about crabbing and the regulations, please visit the South Carolina
DNR website. Until next time………………..Katie
