BLUE CRAB MALE VS FEMALE HOW TO
BLUE CRAB MALE VS FEMALE FULL
BLUE CRAB MALE VS FEMALE PLUS
BLUE CRAB MALE VS FEMALE FREE

The peelers are placed in shedding tanks along with other peelers. Once caught, these crabs are separated and will be sold as peelers. By looking at the swimming paddle of the blue crab, it can be determined how soon the crab will shed its hard outer shell. The crab will stay in this soft state for 1 to 2 days before turning hard. The new shell typically stays soft as it quickly grows to become a bigger shell. During the molting process the old shell is released exposing a soft shell that has grown under the old hard shell. Soft Shell Crabs– In order to grow the blue crab goes through a molting period where it sheds it old hard shell which is replaced with a new larger shell. Due to sea predators only 1or 2 eggs of the over two million eggs will ever make it to be a blue crab. She will typically carry over two million eggs. Sponge Crabs – The sponge crab is a female crab that has been mated and is carry eggs under her apron. She will be mated after she sheds her hard outer shell. The sally crab has not yet mated and has not yet carried eggs. The apron on the bottom is the shape of a triangle or pyramid. They can be identified by looking at the bottom of the crab. They also have an orange color on the tips of the claw like the #3 Sook Crabs. #4 Sally Crabs – The Sally crabs or “she crab” are the immature female crabs which means they cannot mate, or carry eggs. Sooks tend to have less meat than the Jimmies and usually end up in the picking houses for crabmeat. The sook crabs are typically sought after for the sweet taste and the egg roe that sometimes is present inside the crab.

BLUE CRAB MALE VS FEMALE FREE

The rounded abdomen is free to open (not sealed shut) therefore allowing her to mate and carry eggs. The apron on the bottom has the shape of a dome sometimes referred to as the Capital Dome. You can also identify the sook crabs by looking at the bottom of the crab. You can quickly identify the sook crabs by the orange color on the tips of the claws. #3 Sook Crabs – The number three Sook crabs are the mature female crabs which means they are able to mate and carry eggs. These crabs are typically harvested and sold to the crab picking companies because of their cheaper cost and the ease of removing the meat. They are typically caught right after shedding their old shell and have not quite filled out their new bigger shell.

BLUE CRAB MALE VS FEMALE FULL

#2 Jimmy Crabs – The number two Jimmy crabs which are sometimes called “whitey Crabs” are the male crabs that either do not meet a certain measurement (from shell point to shell point) or are not full of meat. For instance, a crab that is graded “large” in the Charleston region would be graded “medium” in the New Bern area. There is no industry standard for grading hard crabs. The grading of hard shell crabs can depend on the region the crabs are harvested. ** Be careful when purchasing crabs by size.

BLUE CRAB MALE VS FEMALE PLUS

Colossal or Heavyweights 7 plus inches – These crabs are a rarity and therefore are not always available.

The measurement is taken from the left point of the hard shell to the right point of the hard shell.

Valued for the meat they contain, they are considered the crabs of summer. The #1 Jimmy typically has a darker, older looking shell and sometimes has what looks like rust on the bottom of the shell. This shape is totally different from the females. The bottom apron is the shape of the Washington monument.

You can also identify the male crabs by looking at the bottom side or belly of the crab. You can identify the male crabs by the bluish color on the tip of the claws. The number one Jimmy crabs are male crabs that are full of meat and typically the most sought after crabs. Early treaties included provisions for the rights of Native Americans for “Hunting, Crabbing, Fowling, and Fishing.” BLUE CRAB IDENTIFICATION Native Americans for centuries living on the Delmarva Peninsula took pleasure in eating these crustaceans, and introduced the European settlers to them. Crabs are also scavengers and predators they will eat live or dead fish, clams, snails, and ocean vegetation. Cannibalism is common of young smaller crabs by larger crabs and may help regulate population surplus. Crabs can only swim and walk from side to side instead of forward and backward. The scientific name for the Blue Crab is Callinectes: (Greek) and translates to Beautiful Swimmer. This perspective is about Carolina Crabs, not Maryland crabs.

BLUE CRAB MALE VS FEMALE HOW TO

On these pages we will try to give you some how to tips on getting the most enjoyment out of eating the Carolina Blue Crab. If you are seeking information on the Carolina Blue Crab, then you are probably well aware that the Blue Crab’s meat is considered one of sweetest meats there is.

Blue crab male vs female