The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Rain, sun, wind...insects, birds, flowers...meteorites, rocks...seasonal changes...all are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us.
The Atlantic Ghost Crab, Ocypode quadrata, is a fairly common crab on beaches in the Gulf of Mexico. They are fairly large crabs that live in burrows in the sand. Their name comes from their pale coloration and their extremely rapid movement.
Last weekend (May 3) we visited Alligator Point, in Franklin County Florida as mentioned in a previous diary on shorebirds. I was delighted to discover an apparently thriving population of ghost crabs on the less popular (with humans) part of the shore. Although I have seen good populations of these crabs on heavily used beaches human activity is likely to collapse burrows, crush crabs, and compact the sand and render burrowing difficult.
Normally they are difficult to approach closely in daylight. This one ran into what appears to be a half completed burrow and cover itself (not very well) with sand.
More bafflingly, this one was standing motionless in the open and allowed extremely close approach. Was it dead? Perhaps, but it was gone a short time later.
The last two pictures show more 'normal' behavior for ghost crabs.
Sunny and hot with scattered clouds in Tallahassee today. What's up in your neck of the woods?
"Spotlight on Green News & Views" is posted every Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific Time and Wednesday at 3:30 on the Daily Kos front page. It's a great way to catch up on diaries you might have missed. Be sure to recommend and comment in the diary.