and one Horseshoe Crab.
We have been in Corolla on the Outerbanks of North Carolina for a few days, spending time with Gregg's sister. One of the things we have in common is that we both love to look at seashells, and she found many to show me on her early morning walks along the beach. I was absolutely delighted with them. Those I will share another time.
This exhibit was found at a visitor center on one of our rides around the area.
I have always found the Horseshoe Crab fascinating, and prehistoric looking. Unfortunately I have never seen a live one, just the one in this exhibit and one or two on the beach over the years.
The other thing I found fascinating and don't remember ever seeing them before, or maybe I have but thought it was seaweed or something, is the Whelk egg case. In each section of those 'discs' there can be up to 99 tiny whelks. This is also commonly known as a Mermaid Necklace. You can read more at this link.
If you enlarge each photo you can see them in better detail.
I found an interesting video on YouTube which I embedded below. If you can't see the video you can find it at this link.
Added note: with thanks for Martha Ellen's comment, that the Horseshoe Crab is not actually a crab. Forever curious I found more information at the link here where it says that these fascinating creatures are closer related to spiders and scorpions than to the crab. Thank you Martha Ellen!
And thank you for looking. Have a great week!
I adore shells and most everything that the ocean gives us, Denise. Such a pretty display in the sand box. The horseshoe crab is a most interesting little being, though not a crab.
ReplyDeleteThank you for mentioning about the horseshoe crab Martha Ellen. I went back and reread all about it in more detail. Amazing aren't they? :)
DeleteLove that Please Touch sign. And who doesn't love seashells. Fascinating things.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I thought that was great about the sign too.
DeleteRelated to spiders and scorpions!!! How amazing, no wonder they give me the creeps! And what are the long skinny things that looks like eel skeletons?
ReplyDeleteHi Ginny, those long skinny things you mentioned are the whelk egg cases. Good description, they do look like eel skeletons :)
DeleteWow that's an interesting post. I've never seen a horse shoe crab.
ReplyDeleteThank you Diane, I'm glad to be able to introduce you to something new :)
DeleteI love seashells as well, Denise. I enjoyed these treasures, made me want to go to the beach and explore.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
So glad you enjoy shells as much as I do Amalia. I would love to see what you collect the name time you explore the beach :) xo
DeleteYou have raised a question: where the heck did I put all my seashells?
ReplyDeleteSmiling here Valerie, so many things I need to look for around here, and say that every time :)
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ReplyDeleteVery interesting creature I do not know such. Thank you very much for the interesting information.
Thank you Lucyna, and you are very welcome :)
DeleteHello, the Horse Shoe crabs are amazing. I have seen a lot of them on the Delaware shores. This is the first I have heard of the Mermaid's Necklace, it is interesting. I love looking for sea shells. Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy new week!
ReplyDeleteThey are I agree, thanks Eileen. You have a great day and a happy week also :)
DeleteI love sea shells... Lovely collection
ReplyDeleteThank you Ashok, happy you enjoyed :)
DeleteI love your little signatures at the end of each post.
ReplyDeletePS I like your posts too. lol
Smiling here :) Thank you, so glad you enjoy my little signatures. I enjoy making them.
Deletewhat a super way to display all the marine life. I love the way they showed it.. all of this is a common sight on our beaches. some of the info I did not know, like about the mermaid necklace. I see it but did not know what it is
ReplyDeleteHi Sandra, I hope the next time you go to the beach you will take photos of what you find :) I enjoyed discovering new things thanks to my sister-in-law.
DeleteI am wondering the same thing as EC about the long skeleton looking item. I had a horseshoe crab shell fpr uears which I found at Fernandina Beach and finally donated it to a museum in Florida before we moved. The seashore is so relaxing; we love to collect shells when we go.
ReplyDeleteThat was really nice of you to donate your horseshow crab. Thanks Linda, fellow sea shell collector :)
DeleteInteresting video thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Christine, and thank you :)
DeleteInteresting collection. I have never been to North Carolina, so if you have photos of that area, all the better for me.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gigi. I will be sharing more photos of the area in my coming posts :)
DeleteInteresting post with lots of info. Sadly our WiFi is too slow for videos so I cannot follow the link. Have a good week Diane
ReplyDeleteThank you Diane, sorry you couldn't see my video. You have a good week also :)
DeleteSeashells are very cool. Nice to be able to touch. I sure get excited if I can ever find one on a beach!
ReplyDeleteI thought so too, I love searching for seashells :)
DeleteA mermaid necklace is a new one to me.
ReplyDeleteTo me too, I like the idea of it.
DeleteA fun shell display and museum...We saw horseshoe crabs swimming once at Ding Darling NWR here, but my pictures didn’t turn out well...maybe next time.
ReplyDeleteI would have liked to have seen those horseshoe crabs Sallie :)
DeletePat is very fond of the horseshoe crab, Denise, and he used it as a teaching tool when he worked at a nature center in NJ. It's amazing how many people fear them because of their appearance when actually they are harmless.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting, they certainly are a fascinating sea creature :)
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