Delaware is such a fascinating state when it comes to unique wildlife. Most people know all about the Horseshoe Crab migration along the Delaware Bay, but did you know you can observe another type of crab after dark on our beaches? Read about ghost crabs in Delaware below!
Most days, the sun setting on Cape Henlopen means the crowds thin out and the beaches become a quiet oasis.
Facebook / Cape Henlopen State Park
However, when the tourists go home, the beaches come alive with a few extra special (and extra pinchy!) residents.
Flickr / mwms1916
After sunset, ghost crabs come out of their tiny burrows in the sand for their evening hunt. If you know where to look for them, you can see dozens of them putting on a show in the dark!
Facebook / Cape Henlopen State Park
These tiny crabs are much smaller than the blue claws we’re used to seeing, so you might miss them at first.
Flickr / Santanu Sen
Look for movement - though they often blend in with the sand, you can watch them scurry around if you shine a light along the ground.
Flickr / Caitlin Regan
These adorable crustaceans are a hallmark of any nighttime beach walk, and we’re lucky that we can easily find ghost crabs in Delaware.
Flickr / Michael Basial
If it’s quiet enough, you might be able to hear some of their wild sounds! They bubble like bigger crabs, and even have teeth inside their stomachs that help them growl to scare away predators or communicate with each other.
Flickr / Santanu Sen
Next time you find yourself down in Lewes after dark, head to the beach and see how many you can spot! Watch where you step, and don’t disturb them too much. After all, they’re just enjoying the beach in the same ways that we do!
Flickr / Michael Basial
The prevalence of ghost crabs has long been used as a way to tell the health of a beach ecosystem. As long as these critters keep scurrying their way across the sand, we can rest assured that efforts to preserve the beaches of Cape Henlopen State Park have been successful.
Facebook / Cape Henlopen State Park
Flickr / mwms1916
Flickr / Santanu Sen
Flickr / Caitlin Regan
Flickr / Michael Basial
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Address: Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes, DE 19958, USA
