Horseshoe Crabs

[Nat]

Horseshoe crab females climb to the high tide line on the full moons of May and June to lay their eggs in the sand, and the same night the males climb the beaches to fertilize those eggs. They are about a foot long, just the shell, not including the tail....very weird creatures....been around 450 million years, related to scorpions and spiders.......I didn't hang around for night to fall....


Horseshoe Crab by 123smile4me, on Flickr


Horseshoe Crab by 123smile4me, on Flickr


Horseshoe Crab by 123smile4me, on Flickr


2013Jun22_Folly Creek_9358-Large by 123smile4me, on Flickr


Horseshoe Crab by 123smile4me, on Flickr


Horseshoe Crab by 123smile4me, on Flickr

[Shadowman]

Very nice assortment.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Nat,
Very weird creatures. Thanks for sharing.
Antonio.

[Ken Curtis]

Hi Nat. I was down to Cape May, NJ a couple years ago to photograph at night. It did not work out well. Some of my better shots were taken the next morning.

You might have done better if you were to get down lower to give a bit different point of view. For example, it looks like you were standing at water's edge in #1. If you could have kneeled down and gotten camera closer to the water.

#4 has a lot of potential because of the trailing tracks left by the crab. Cropping off the top half may the viewer concentrate on the tracks and less on the sky, green plants and utility poles.

My two cents worth for your consideration.

[Nat]

Thank you all, for the comments. I see what you mean, Ken....if I ever get another chance at this, I definitely will get down lower to the water! Thanks for your advice....

[HiImTom]

I just shot them mating in the bay here in NJ. I had a tough time with them. I think you did a good job of capturing their journey.

[Nat]

Thanks, Tom. Did you post any photos of them? They lay eggs and fertilization happens externally, wish I could see them in bunches. If I had hung around after dark...they do this only during the full moon cycles of May and June, I hear.

[HiImTom]

I did not get to process any of them yet. I had two shots, one at sunset and the following night with the moon rising with my daughter. I can't wait to see them, although I am doubtful on the moon rising night.

I met a gentleman doing video on the moon. He said he just got doing a documentary on the crabs. I am not sure on the exacts of these old creatures, but will definitely pass on the link when I get it.

I think one of crabs tried to mate my boot...life is strange sometimes.

[Nat]

I don't think it's just ONE night, I should have said about the time of the full moon, for several days....they do this, and they crawl to the high tide line to do it....odd how instinct plays such a vital part.....so much we don't understand.

[stronics]

Something interesting about them is they have blue blood. They use it to make medicine for hearts I think! It is extracted as to not kill them, then released back to the sea.
David