Ghost crabs are one of the many critters you might see on the beach in Destin. They are called “ghost crabs” because of their light color, which allows them to blend into the sand. The name also comes from their ability to disappear quickly.
If you spot a small hole in the sand, that is likely a ghost crab hideout. The hole can be quarter to golf ball sized, depending on the size of the ghost crab. Young crabs are tiny while adults grow up to 3-inches in body size.
You might think you see a ghost crab out of the corner of your eye, only to find it nowhere in sight when you turn your head. This happens often since they can run at speeds up to 10mph, allowing for a fast getaway.
About Ghost Crabs
Ghost crabs have 8 legs on the sides and a pair of distinct white claws in front. Their eyes, extended over their head on stalks, can turn to see 360 degrees around. The Latin name for them is Ocypoda, which means “swift-footed.”
Ghost crabs dig tunnels in the sand, which is where they live and hide. These might seem like ordinary holes, but these critters actually create very elaborate burrows in there that go up to 4 feet in depth and branch out different directions.
Ghost Crabs hibernate in their tunnels during the colder winter months, holding their breath up to 6 weeks, thanks to the ability to store oxygen near their gills.
They hideout most of the daytime in the summer to hide from predators and seek shelter from the scorching sun.
It is easier to spot ghost crabs at night, which is when they venture out to look for food such as insects, clams, and vegetation.
Ghost Crab Hunting
When you look down the beach at night and see a sea of flashlights in the sand, those are people hunting ghost crabs. Usually it’s children and families who enjoy catching them or sometimes anglers who use them for bait.
The other reason people look for ghost crabs at night is because they freeze up for a few moments when a flashlight is on them, like a deer in headlights.
I have mixed feelings about ghost crab hunting. I know it’s fun for families, but I just hope they do it responsibly and don’t put my little friends through too much ordeal.
I feel bad knowing they spent all day building their sand tunnel only to be carried far down the beach before being released to have to build a new home.
That is still a better scenario than when people don’t let them go. I am often at the beach in the morning, along with other locals, and am heartbroken when I find abandoned or buried buckets on the beach with dead, drowned or sun-scorched ghost crabs in it.
So please, if you hunt ghost crabs at night, do it responsibly and let them go shortly after you catch them. Also, unlike most of their crab relatives, ghost crabs can’t swim, so please don’t throw them out into the water if you catch one.
They stay close to shore to wet their gills from time to time because it helps them filter oxygen. They can also get this needed moisture from the damp sand found deep in their tunnels. The little hairs you see on their legs are used to wick up the water.
Turtle Safe Flashlights
It’s important to use a red flashlight instead of a white one during the sea turtle nesting season.
Sea turtle nesting season runs from May through October. This is when mama turtles come ashore to lay their eggs up by the sand dunes. When the baby turtles hatch, they rely on the light of the moon to find their way to the water.
A sea of white flashlights, the same color as the moon, confuses and disorients sea turtles who are trying to find their way. This is the reason you’ll notice the beach homes, piers, and condo buildings all have amber lighting instead of white.
It’s discouraging that the red flashlights have not really caught on yet, but I usually see a handful of them in the sea of white ones, which gives me hope.
If you need another reason to use a red flashlight on the beach at night, please know the locals see you and respect you as a fellow turtle advocate.
Here is the red flashlight I use that I got on Amazon: Turtle Safe Red Flashlight. It’s cheap and has a pocket clip and it looks way cooler in pictures than white if you get a shot of your kids using it on the beach.
How to Photograph Ghost Crabs
I have spent a lot of time photographing ghost crabs so they have become little friends for me. If I wait long enough and stay still, they will trust me after a while and that’s when I can take these photos.
My long telephoto lens allows me to see all the intricate details and expressions on their face making the connection more personal. Sometimes they even seem to pose for me. Here are my best tips for ghost crap photos:
- 1- Go out to the beach during the early morning or in the afternoon shortly before sunset. This is the best lighting for photography and also the time when they are more likely to emerge apart from night time. There are also fewer people on the beach to scare them off.
- 2- Look for a spot on the sand near a ghost crab hole. Sit nearby. Point your camera at the hole and wait. That way, you won’t scare them off by moving when they emerge. It helps to have a telephoto lens so you can be farther away, but a phone camera will work too.
Be sure to comment below if you have any questions or feedback. I love hearing from you and prefer to answer questions on here so my answers can help others as well. Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list so you don’t miss any posts!
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Hi, I’m Sarah–the creator, writer and photographer behind this site. I sell prints, books, journals, and calendars all made from my Emerald Coast photography and I also manage a few vacation rentals on beautiful Holiday Isle in Destin if you want me to be your helpful, knowledgeable host when you visit.
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