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Epic Hermit Crab Migration Captured on Film
In a video that has to be seen to be believed, videographer Steve Simonsen captured hundreds of thousands of hermit crabs migrating across a beach on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands (4:11)
Courtesy of: Steve Simonsen photography, inc. Turquoise trail production.
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I've been slowly watching the 11 episodes of the BBC/Discovery series Life over the last few weeks, and I've been amazed by much of it. While many of the segments focus on small groups of animals, and sometimes just one---like the bouncing pebble toad---huge migrations and gatherings of creatures a...
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Comments (19)
This was amazing. At our local inlet i snapped these little guys just this week. Not as professional, but amazing nonetheless. The sound of their little legs is amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR6jbuC3iBw&feature=youtu.be
Posted by Mick on February 10,2013 | 07:30 PM
Dear STEVE, VERY INTERESTING AND GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY..........I ACTUALLY SAW 2 CRABS GOING THE WRONG WAY, WHY? GPS FAILING? BATTERIES LOW? LEFT THEIR GLASSES AT HOME? I AM A NEIGHBOR OF LYNDY AND HEINZ HERE IN VERMONT AND HEINZ JUST TOLD ME ABOUT THIS. BEING A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF EASTERN LONG ISLAND, NY, I'M FAMILAR WITH HORSESHOE CRABS SO I FOUND THIS VERY INTERESTING. WE ALSO HAD SMALL CRABS SIMILIAR TO THESE BUT CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME OF THEM. THANK YOU, BUD THOMSEN
Posted by BUD THOMSEN on November 27,2012 | 05:46 AM
In response to Warren A. Hollier and others. These kinds of mass aggregations usually happen every 5 to 7 years. Smaller ones happen almost yearly. The crabs come down of the hills as high as 1200 to 1500 feet up and go to the sea to swap shells and spawn. They return to the same beaches they were spawned at and follow the same trails their ancestors followed. So, there are different trails to different beaches. They will crawl over, around, through anything that gets in their way. It's a totally amazing spectacle. Did you happen to notice that all the crabs seemed to have about the same sized shell? Therein lies the issue for the poor hermit crab. The larger shells are getting harder and harder for them to find and as they grow they have no means of upgrading to a larger shell. It is unknown what kind of affect this is going to have on them in the long run. In the Virgin Islands they are called soldier crabs because of this determined march to the sea.
Posted by Bish Denham on September 22,2012 | 08:54 AM
Looks like an evening at Sam's Club.... (fantastic, though - the Hermits are beautiful!)
Posted by V_A on September 19,2012 | 05:35 PM
Were they migrating or escaping from something? Does this happen every year on cue or is this a cyclic happening every 10 years or so. Maybe we had better study this a little deeper. What unusual changes are happening in the waters around the island. Is this a response to a man-made accident (chemical or radioactive)? Is this a breeding event like salmon spawning? This is 2012 you know:)
Posted by WArren A. Hollier, Jr. on September 18,2012 | 02:47 AM
Wonderful! Steve - Did the crabs attempt to climb your legs? Can you re-submit the video without the music? I too want to hear that marvelous crabby sound partly because I just do and partly because our satellite feed here is lousy and the video keeps jamming and the music lurches. thanks :)
Posted by Abi on September 18,2012 | 03:00 AM
So, where are they going? Would like to have seen video of the cabana where the free drinks were being served to these pilgrims.
Posted by max hensley on September 17,2012 | 10:55 PM
Fascinating! Who would have thought there could be so many in one place? And where are they going to?
Posted by Isobel Gallagher on September 17,2012 | 01:00 PM
Fascinating! But why did the filmmaker choose to add music? I found it distracting and was disappointed that I could barely hear the sound of the crabs. To me, that's part of the story.
Posted by Peg S. on September 17,2012 | 11:21 AM
I remember as a kid camping on Cape Hatteras (the 1950's) watching the beach suddenly come alive with crabs one evening. We had to put our feet up onto the picnic benches to keep the masses from crawling over them. Not as many as shown in the video but every square inch of the beach was covered by them. It's a sight I'll never forget.
Posted by Don Haywood on September 17,2012 | 10:35 AM
This is great! It would have been better without the loud soundtrack, just the ticking of the crabs would have been superior.
Posted by Laura Shadle on September 16,2012 | 05:07 PM
George! Where's Jimmy! Does anyone have any idea why they do this?
Posted by geneklubbs on September 16,2012 | 03:43 PM
Fantastic video! Where was the photographer standing? This is the making of a good horror movie: can you imagine having fallen asleep on a beach and waking up to this?
Posted by Betty Woodard on September 16,2012 | 12:23 PM
Are they running from something or running to it? It looks like a great, religious pilgrimage.
Posted by Robert Scriba on September 16,2012 | 11:54 AM
Talk about a mosh pit! Reminds me of that sequence in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies where the stone crabs carry the ship. Great job!
Posted by Punkin' on September 16,2012 | 09:54 AM
I've enjoyed seeing them on the beaches of Hilton Head Island and see them dancing around on their behind legs.
Posted by Pat Klint on September 16,2012 | 09:48 AM
I would be interesting to have some additional information to complete the interesting visuals. What was the date and duration of the movement? Where did they ultimately end up or what seemed to be the end purpose? How often does this occur?
Posted by Steven Driggers on September 16,2012 | 09:27 AM
This video is almost hard to believe, but nature sure produces strange things. Regards, RC Napper
Posted by R.C. Napper on September 16,2012 | 09:16 AM
Unfortunately the videos do not play!
Posted by Rock on September 13,2012 | 06:27 PM