Hairy Hermit Crab
p.1 #1Hairy Hermit Crab
I was out walking along the mouth of the Elwa River when someone brought this hermit crab to my attention:
Hermit Crab - Relocating 0024 by Stephen Shoff, on Flickr
Hermit Crab - Relocating 0024 by Stephen Shoff, on FlickrJan 19, 2026 at 06:07 PM
p.1 #2Hairy Hermit Crab
really nice picture, stephen. good handling of the contrasting dark and light colors with great detail on the crab. i have never seen a hermit crab. your picture is the next best thing.
Jan 20, 2026 at 10:33 PM
p.1 #3Hairy Hermit Crab
Thank you, Wendall.
You won't often see a hermit crab outside of a shell like this. They normally occupy the shells of dead mollusks, like the Hairy Triton Snail shell shown. All you see is their legs, claws and tentacles if they are moving around. As they grow, though, they have to leave their shell and find a larger one which is what I am presuming this one was doing. As kids, we would see much smaller hermit crabs in the tidal pools in coastal California.
You won't often see a hermit crab outside of a shell like this. They normally occupy the shells of dead mollusks, like the Hairy Triton Snail shell shown. All you see is their legs, claws and tentacles if they are moving around. As they grow, though, they have to leave their shell and find a larger one which is what I am presuming this one was doing. As kids, we would see much smaller hermit crabs in the tidal pools in coastal California.
Jan 21, 2026 at 02:09 AM