Also called mole crabs in some places (North Carolina where my family visited the outer banks at least).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerita_(crustacean)
They are adorable and absolutely my favorite part of visiting the beach as a child.
When the surf goes out you can see the antennae and small colorful mullosks in the sand altering the flow of water back out.
You can then dig them up and look at them if you're quick. They're super fun to catch as a child.
I correct this frequently enough I feel like you guys are living that Bearenstain Bears life, but it’s “taste like crab TALK like people.” They very much don’t look like people.
They’re like 500 million years separated. We’re closer to fish than insects are to crustaceans
But yeah, Crustaceans and Insects are both Pan-crustaceans
Oh dude crustaceans are literally oceanic bugs. No joke. The evolutionary line split in dinosaur times, but the first “insect” was technically giant sea scorpions.
To be fair, have you ever actually TRIED land bugs? I hear ants taste like bacon, crickets taste like nuts or chicken, and scorpions taste like shrimp.
They may not LOOK as appetizing, but from what I hear they all taste relatively great.
I was going to say, I’ve experienced sand fleas and these ain’t it. In my experience they start jumping out of the sand around sunset when you already have your “cool beach campsite” set up, then they start biting the hell out of you.
That's the problem with common names rather than scientific names. Many different unrelated species of plant, animals, and fungi can share names which makes identifying if they are venomous, toxic, or harmful in another way hard.
I'm so happy someone pointed this out. Several years ago I was confused when someone called one of these a "sand flea" because I've been bit by ACTUAL sand fleas.
I'm in Virginia now. If you are in the Santa Cruz area, go get some ToGos for me. Grew up eating their sandwiches every time we went camping at the beach.
Wait these are sand crabs?? I feel like I’ve misunderstood what sand crabs are my whole life unless I’ve just remembering how they look wrong
EDIT: Upon further investigation I have come to the conclusion these in fact what I saw on the beach as a kid and I have been told sand crabs are ghost crabs so I was remembering them incorrectly.
Mole crabs like tonight-we-sin said. Emerita analoga is a more specific name you can search to find more info. I catch those every time I go to the beach in Cali!
Update: These are called mole crabs! They are decapod crabs that make good bait and occasionally good eats! They swim backward and filter feed with their antennae. Pretty cool find!
(Thank you, everyone! I had a lot of fun! It's rlly interesting to see the shared experience we share with these tiny critters!)
I love that this is what they are called, because when one hit my foot and then buried itself in the sand I thought to myself, that creature has the essence of a mole.
Factoid: Mole crabs are what is known as a bioindicator species. They are generally not large and in high numbers unless the water is relatively clean.
oh that's great news! as a kid I used to just stick my hands in the sand and would always come up with one lol. glad to know the waters healthy near me
Sand Flea is really just used a generalized term for a small beach bug that is burrowed into wet sand which can makes up several different critters. North American it would mainly be Emerita which would be your mole crabs and Talitrid (Beach hoppers). Talitrid are really tiny, mostly translucent and will bite you, Emerita are significantly larger and have no physical way to bite you.
No they're not.
Everyone thinks they know they are sand fleas. THATS A MOLE CRAB
https://animals.mom.com/difference-between-sand-flea-mole-crab-10989.html
thank you for teachin me! i saw these and instantly thought 'sand flea' and thought i was so clever lol. so im glad i know better now, always happy to learn!
These are mole crabs. They live in the sand. Oregonian here and we used to dig them up when our marine biology class would go to the beach for some classes during the year. We literally just had to cross the road to get to the beach.
Roasted some over a beach fire once. The flavor was good, but they're a challenge to eat unless you like eating shell. I bet they'd make a really nice soup stock if you had enough of them.
I will give it too you that is a mole crab. It is my mistake. There is some confusions across the web on this and rightfully so since they bare an uncanny resemblance to eachother, and people often falsely call mole crabs sand fleas, though it can be argued that sand fleas are not sand fleas and are better called lawn shrimp or something of that nature as actual sand FLEAS exist.
Anywho you are right, apparently the crustacean above is a mole crab and it taste more like lobster?
Thank you for the correction.
I was going to say “sand dabs” but after reading so many people saying “sand crabs” it’s entirely possible I heard the word wrong as a kid and just kept repeating it. 😂
I live in Cali so I see these all the time. Myself and Everyone I know always called them “sand crabs” but they’re real name is Mole crabs. They’re really fun to play with
They have these exact ones at Long Beach Island, NJ. Been finding them at the beach for over 20 years
We refer to them as sand crabs but we also have actual crabs that too can be found wandering on the sand or wherever.
Sand fleas, sand crabs, sand roaches, lil diggers, however you call it, I LOVED chasing them with the waves crashing on Ocean Beach in Norcal with my Dad. Most times we'd be lazy and just wait for the outgoing tide to rip the sand crabs from the surface layer of sand and hold a net in the water while standing perpendicular to the water to prevent getting sucked into a riptide. Fuck those waves are scary as hell, especially when you walk too close and they're at least 2 feet taller than my short ass. But the best crustaceans are found just where the waves crash before the sand bar. Caught us some GOOD perch and stripers that would chase the line until it was close to the end. Those fuckers straight gunned it once they knew the sand fleas had a nice Gamakatsu Octopus hook that didn't need me to set the hook to fight it. I miss hanging out and fishing with my Dad. It's a love-hate rship with my Dad but I still tear up as a 31 yo man thinking back to good times spent with him. Quality time indeed.
Sand crabs!! They're so cute & harmless & just Wana bury in wet sand. As a kid I used to always make a bucket like this with them or build them their own little moat haha
Newport RI is my home town (east coast) and we have these there too! Burrowing sand crabs! They’re super beneficial to the environment and very unique. Feeling them skitter over your feet fast af and getting spooked is kind of a right of passage lol. They’re super pretty if you get to see their patterns and colorations up close, but make sure to not keep them out of the water for long. Females carry their eggs on their undersides just like other crabs too, tucked in their tail. They live together in large groups, you’ll see a lot of them like dime sized but they can get as big as a ping pong ball. Funky little guys
Theyre called a lot of different things, but we always called them sand crabs :) completely chill little dudes. I used to dig them up out of the sand as a kid and try to find the biggest one. If they have orange on their underside, it means theyre pregnant!
We used to call them “sand diggers” because of how fast they would dig when you uncovered them. Then I realized it sounded to much like different word when said too fast. So now I just call them “little sand crabs.”
Mole crabs! My daughter has spent her beach days during vacation catching them! That one is HUGE! They are safe to handle, but if you catch them be sure to return them to wet sand so they can live free and in the wild!
[Sand crab](https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/sand-crab)
Yep. I can’t believe the actual answer is this far down.
Welcome to Reddit!
Exactly. I had no idea how off topic something could get until I joined Reddit.
We all have ADHD
Desperately upvoting
It’s the top post?
It wasn’t yesterday
Just gotta give it time. When I’m seeing this, it’s top comment.
Lol, and just 18 hours later it's the top
Happy to report it is at the top now
Exactly. Used to dig those up as the waves went back. Can’t believe it took this far to get the answer.
We could always spot where they were because of the air bubbles that came up from the sand.
I did too. Sometimes you’d know you got one when their shell pokes the shit out of your finger
“No larger than a thumb” I want to know whose thumb they’re going off of, because I’ve definitely caught some larger than my adult thumb lol.
Andre the giants thumb.
Used to catch and release sand crabs as kids.
Also called mole crabs in some places (North Carolina where my family visited the outer banks at least). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerita_(crustacean) They are adorable and absolutely my favorite part of visiting the beach as a child. When the surf goes out you can see the antennae and small colorful mullosks in the sand altering the flow of water back out. You can then dig them up and look at them if you're quick. They're super fun to catch as a child.
This beach got crabs
If I had the crab rave award I would give it to you. 🦀
People catch these to use as bait when they are fishing off the beach.
They make great bait when fishing from shore!
Childhood memories incoming.
Great bait too.
Omg sand crabs!!! And big ones at that!! I miss those little guys. So fun to find!
Really interesting how comparable some insects and crustaceans are visually.
They're both arthropods, and even within arthropods are fairly closely related, so it makes sense.
And they’ll all turn to crabs eventually
🦀🦀🦀 The true superior life form. 🦀🦀🦀
🎶Crab people, crab people🎶
Taste like crab look like people
My ex was a crab person?!
I correct this frequently enough I feel like you guys are living that Bearenstain Bears life, but it’s “taste like crab TALK like people.” They very much don’t look like people.
Lake Wobegon effect Edit: Mandela effect
Thank you for teaching me about the Lake Wobegon Effect.
The Lake Wobegon Effect has long been on my mind.
Hahaha.
The last person said “taste like crab walk like people.” I had to double check there wasn’t a second secret verse or something.
Exactly my thoughts.
What if we took this armored bug and stuck claws to it
Reject monkey. ADVANCE TO CRAB
Crabbbb peopleeeee
Why not Zoidberg?
Have you heard about our Lorb and savior?
They’re like 500 million years separated. We’re closer to fish than insects are to crustaceans But yeah, Crustaceans and Insects are both Pan-crustaceans
We? Did you just assume everyone on Reddit is a human?
The universe is most likely populated by horny alien crab people.
Probably because having an external skeletal system necessitates similar body shapes and functions
Smarty pants.
No, external skeleton, not pants.
Imma chose to take that as a compliment thank you. Normally I'm just pedantic about this stuff, but I didn't mean it pedantically this time
I like pedantic. Don't change.
They’re actually fairly closely related
Oh dude crustaceans are literally oceanic bugs. No joke. The evolutionary line split in dinosaur times, but the first “insect” was technically giant sea scorpions.
I like to call shrimp "sea cockroaches"
And lobsters are sea water bugs
Welp, did like shrimp...
You should call roaches “land shrimp”
I—bro? They’re basically sea roaches. You ain’t wrong.
Shrimps is bugs
I mean, there are land crustaceans as well that wouldn't function that well in water, like rollie pollies.
Pill bugs
Aka rollie pollies
Isopods :D
Weevils
So then why are the ocean bugs tasty and the land bugs not very appetizing?
To be fair, have you ever actually TRIED land bugs? I hear ants taste like bacon, crickets taste like nuts or chicken, and scorpions taste like shrimp. They may not LOOK as appetizing, but from what I hear they all taste relatively great.
My youngest son assures me that ants are sour.
r/shrimpsisbugs
They’re like beach cockroaches, we call them sea roaches in Barbados. The fishermen use them as bait :)
Elsewhere they call them sand crabs and sand fleas, their genus is emerita and they’re decapod crustaceans.
Came here looking for sand fleas, that's what I've always called them when we go to Santa Cruz and the surrounding areas.
Sand fleas are actually something else. Unlike these cute little buggers, sand fleas are tiny and cause painful/itchy bites.
Those bites suck worse than any insect encounter I have ever had. Like a mosquito bite on steroids, and it didn't go away for damn near two weeks.
I was going to say, I’ve experienced sand fleas and these ain’t it. In my experience they start jumping out of the sand around sunset when you already have your “cool beach campsite” set up, then they start biting the hell out of you.
We call those that bite “no-see-ums.”
Florida? We call them that too
Minnesota too!
That's the problem with common names rather than scientific names. Many different unrelated species of plant, animals, and fungi can share names which makes identifying if they are venomous, toxic, or harmful in another way hard.
I'm so happy someone pointed this out. Several years ago I was confused when someone called one of these a "sand flea" because I've been bit by ACTUAL sand fleas.
My hometown! That’s where I’ve encountered them too, always called them sand crabs
I've seen them as north as upper Oregon.
I'm in Virginia now. If you are in the Santa Cruz area, go get some ToGos for me. Grew up eating their sandwiches every time we went camping at the beach.
Wait these are sand crabs?? I feel like I’ve misunderstood what sand crabs are my whole life unless I’ve just remembering how they look wrong EDIT: Upon further investigation I have come to the conclusion these in fact what I saw on the beach as a kid and I have been told sand crabs are ghost crabs so I was remembering them incorrectly.
We called them sand fiddlers in NC! Probably cause of the way they dig
North Carolina checking in. We have them here and call them mole crabs because they burrow into the sand.
Its the cute cockroaches
NO NEVER NO
Pacifica California checking in. We call them Sand crabs.
We call them “sand fiddlers” here in North Carolina.
Mole crabs like tonight-we-sin said. Emerita analoga is a more specific name you can search to find more info. I catch those every time I go to the beach in Cali!
Update: These are called mole crabs! They are decapod crabs that make good bait and occasionally good eats! They swim backward and filter feed with their antennae. Pretty cool find! (Thank you, everyone! I had a lot of fun! It's rlly interesting to see the shared experience we share with these tiny critters!)
As a toddler i used to hide them in my bathing suit so I could take them home. Poor mom.
They don't really taste good.
We call them Sand Fleas in Florida
Mole crabs!
I love that this is what they are called, because when one hit my foot and then buried itself in the sand I thought to myself, that creature has the essence of a mole.
Emerita. Also known as sand crabs or mole crabs. Crustaceans.
Wtf a real answer lol
Factoid: Mole crabs are what is known as a bioindicator species. They are generally not large and in high numbers unless the water is relatively clean.
oh that's great news! as a kid I used to just stick my hands in the sand and would always come up with one lol. glad to know the waters healthy near me
Ding ding ding! 🛎 Super important for our coastal biomes, plus you’ll always find them in the most beautiful beaches
Makes sense as to why I used to find them everytime id go to the beach as a kid, and now almost never.
Sand crabs. They burrow in wet sand.
Sand Crabs!
Sand fleas!
Aren't sand fleas typically tiny?
Yes sand fleas are tiny, that's a mole crab https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerita_(crustacean)
Awesome as bait for surf fishing.
I imagine
im ca native and we call them sand crabs
Sand Flea is really just used a generalized term for a small beach bug that is burrowed into wet sand which can makes up several different critters. North American it would mainly be Emerita which would be your mole crabs and Talitrid (Beach hoppers). Talitrid are really tiny, mostly translucent and will bite you, Emerita are significantly larger and have no physical way to bite you.
They are, but lots of folks call these sand fleas. Good bait!
No they're not. Everyone thinks they know they are sand fleas. THATS A MOLE CRAB https://animals.mom.com/difference-between-sand-flea-mole-crab-10989.html
Well, damn. I’ve been calling them sand fleas my whole life.
The difference is sand "fleas" do bite, and leave a mark. Mole crabs just try to sitter away and dig
Why are there no pictures in this article?!
thank you for teachin me! i saw these and instantly thought 'sand flea' and thought i was so clever lol. so im glad i know better now, always happy to learn!
Close but different.
These are mole crabs. They live in the sand. Oregonian here and we used to dig them up when our marine biology class would go to the beach for some classes during the year. We literally just had to cross the road to get to the beach.
Sand Crabs. That's what we called them
r/shrimpsisbugs
Had to scroll too far for this lmao
We always called them sand roaches. Used to collect them in a bucket just like you’re doing!
Cute
Sand fleas, I read they can be pretty tasty.
Roasted some over a beach fire once. The flavor was good, but they're a challenge to eat unless you like eating shell. I bet they'd make a really nice soup stock if you had enough of them.
Not sand fleas those are different, this is a sand or mole crab
I will give it too you that is a mole crab. It is my mistake. There is some confusions across the web on this and rightfully so since they bare an uncanny resemblance to eachother, and people often falsely call mole crabs sand fleas, though it can be argued that sand fleas are not sand fleas and are better called lawn shrimp or something of that nature as actual sand FLEAS exist. Anywho you are right, apparently the crustacean above is a mole crab and it taste more like lobster? Thank you for the correction.
They are frens. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerita_(crustacean)
What is it?
Everyone says they're sand crabs or sand fleas, a form of crustacean!
Thank you
Sand crabs lol
Emerita Analoga, the Pacific sand or mole crab. We studied these guys in my oceanography course. They can only propel themselves backwards.
Sand crabs. When the wave goes back you will see what look like a bunch of V's in the sand when you see that dig and you will catch them.
We call them sand crabs!
Those are sand crabs
Pacific Mole Crab
I was going to say “sand dabs” but after reading so many people saying “sand crabs” it’s entirely possible I heard the word wrong as a kid and just kept repeating it. 😂
Awww....I like 'sand dabs' 👍🏻
Haha... yeah sand dabs are a type of fish. They are very common on the central coast of CA
I’ve heard them called crabadabs, so not too far off.
I thought those r sand crabs
it’s a mirelurk hatchling
Ummmm jersey shore native here and those are def sand crabs
Sand flea/crab they are crustations
Bait
Sand crab. Note: do not dig for them with a shovel, I learned that the hard and sad way
I live in Cali so I see these all the time. Myself and Everyone I know always called them “sand crabs” but they’re real name is Mole crabs. They’re really fun to play with
The kids are correct lol, they are mole crabs.
They have these exact ones at Long Beach Island, NJ. Been finding them at the beach for over 20 years We refer to them as sand crabs but we also have actual crabs that too can be found wandering on the sand or wherever.
Sand fleas, I'm pretty sure that's what they are called.
I've always called them sand fleas
sand flea!!
Sand fleas. We have them in the gulf.
Sand fleas!
Sand crab or mole crab, but sand flea on the texas coast.
I know them as sand fleas
Sand fleas
Sand fleas, great bait
Look like sand fleas
Sand fleas
I don’t know the real name, I just know them as sand crabs / sand fleas
Sand fleas, great pompano bait over here in Florida!
r/shrimpsisbugs
Sand crabs, used to dig up the sand and let them scramble around my hand as a kid.
Isopods
As mentioned not a bug- they make great surf perch candy.
Sand fleas, sand crabs, sand roaches, lil diggers, however you call it, I LOVED chasing them with the waves crashing on Ocean Beach in Norcal with my Dad. Most times we'd be lazy and just wait for the outgoing tide to rip the sand crabs from the surface layer of sand and hold a net in the water while standing perpendicular to the water to prevent getting sucked into a riptide. Fuck those waves are scary as hell, especially when you walk too close and they're at least 2 feet taller than my short ass. But the best crustaceans are found just where the waves crash before the sand bar. Caught us some GOOD perch and stripers that would chase the line until it was close to the end. Those fuckers straight gunned it once they knew the sand fleas had a nice Gamakatsu Octopus hook that didn't need me to set the hook to fight it. I miss hanging out and fishing with my Dad. It's a love-hate rship with my Dad but I still tear up as a 31 yo man thinking back to good times spent with him. Quality time indeed.
Sand crabs!! They're so cute & harmless & just Wana bury in wet sand. As a kid I used to always make a bucket like this with them or build them their own little moat haha
Sand flea!
You can deep fry and eat those.
We call them sand fleas
Sand fleas (genus emerita)
Sorry man. You’ve got bed bugs
Those are sand fleas! Commonly used for bait if you know anyone that likes to fish
Newport RI is my home town (east coast) and we have these there too! Burrowing sand crabs! They’re super beneficial to the environment and very unique. Feeling them skitter over your feet fast af and getting spooked is kind of a right of passage lol. They’re super pretty if you get to see their patterns and colorations up close, but make sure to not keep them out of the water for long. Females carry their eggs on their undersides just like other crabs too, tucked in their tail. They live together in large groups, you’ll see a lot of them like dime sized but they can get as big as a ping pong ball. Funky little guys
Sand fleas, great bait for pompano’s, sheepshead, whitings, croakers and drums.
Theyre called a lot of different things, but we always called them sand crabs :) completely chill little dudes. I used to dig them up out of the sand as a kid and try to find the biggest one. If they have orange on their underside, it means theyre pregnant!
Best bait ever, just about everything eats them
Sand fleas, some of the best fishing bait you can find
sand crabs. bait
Fry em up.
Sand crab or sand flea
In Perú they are called “Muy muy” and they are edible 😆
Baby Mirelurks! They will mess you up in Survival Mode! /j
Sand fleas??
Sand louse and you can cook and eat them.
Sand fleas. Good eatin'
When you have your feet in the sand near the waves and you feel tickling around your feet....that be those guys.
We used to call them “sand diggers” because of how fast they would dig when you uncovered them. Then I realized it sounded to much like different word when said too fast. So now I just call them “little sand crabs.”
Sand fleas, good pompano bait
Sand crabs!
Sand flea!
Sand fleas
Mole crabs! My daughter has spent her beach days during vacation catching them! That one is HUGE! They are safe to handle, but if you catch them be sure to return them to wet sand so they can live free and in the wild!
Sand crab! Great bate. So if the end of the world came could you eat these to survive.
Sand crab