Wednesday, June 08, 2011

things that go bump in the night


Tuesday night was a bad night for predators.


No crocodiles.  No ants.  Only a few termites. 


Hubris lulled me into the Canutean fallacy -- that I really could control the tide of nature.


That, of course, is usually when nature decides to have her way with us.  As I walked through the back yard toward the house, I noticed an eight-legged shape on the screen door.  And a large shape, at that.


"`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if spider or devil! -"  Thinking for a moment that a bit of Poe might lift the mood. 


It didn't.  The shape merely perched on the screen -- not even bothering with a "Nevermore."  Nor did I expect it.


But a bit of light cleared up any sense of dread.

 

It was a crab.  A land crab.


The season is upon us, and I barely noticed.  But it will soon be hard to ignore.


There will be land crabs on and under the car.  In the bathroom.  In the bedroom.  And certainly all over the yard.  Their scuttle in the night will soon sound like legions of cockroaches.


They are quite harmless -- even though they put on an air of fortitude with their Jack Dempsey fighting stances. 


Unless you step on them with your bare feet.  Their cracked shells are sharp and nasty.  And when they die, they stink.  Fortunately, nature's little sanitary squads clean them up quickly.


But, here it is.  My first robin of the crab summer.


There will be many more happy returns.

23 comments:

1st Mate said...

I didn't know crabs could climb! I remember walking down a beach road at sunset in San Blas when I heard that rustling/clicking sound and thousands of land crabs came out of the bushes, crossed the road and headed for the beach. We couldn't walk through them, we just had to wait them out. I'm glad I didn't know then that they could climb. One of the little thrills of living next to a beach, I guess.

Nwexi said...

They can be quite tasty if they are blue.

Felipe Zapata said...

Beach life sounds grand.

tancho said...

Too bad they are not a little larger, that way they may be good eating. Sounds like you have first hand knowledge of stepping on them in your bare feet....ouch!
Now what is the natural predator for land crabs?

Beth said...

Seriously...why do you live there. 

Jackieinpdx said...

Those little crabs can be found all over on Isla too. I have seen them in friend's houses in the bathroom, in toy boxes and in the kitchen. I have never stepped on one barefoot though. I have seen many flattened on the roads on the island.

Steve Cotton said...

Well, I certainly would not be able to come up with material like this in Salem.

Steve Cotton said...

I noticed that several flat ones are out on the walkway around the lagoon.  Usually, the result of meeting with a group of boys.

Steve Cotton said...

I must admit to being a crab snob when it comes to sticking them in my mouth.  And you know my favorite variety.  And those beautiful red crabs are not going to show up in my back yard.

Steve Cotton said...

Well, we do have our fauna.

Steve Cotton said...

If it is not Dungeness, it is not tasty.  So says the Book of Things Steve Eats.

Steve Cotton said...

They are great climbers.  When I was at the beach house, they would climb up to the second level with no trouble.  I found one in my bathroom sink.

Don Cuevas said...

We are very satisfied with our 10 inch long centipedes. Fortunately, they have so far arrived one at a time.

Saludos, Don Cuevas

NWexican said...

Yeah I wouldn't eat 'em either but I HEAR they are okay.

Steve Cotton said...

I did -- in Florida.  Will not bother with them another time.

Steve Cotton said...

So far, I have not seen any that size down here.  Ours are miniatures compared with yours.

Kim G said...

Just be glad you don't live on Christmas Island, which every December is overrun with hundreds of thousands of red crabs that migrate across the island. At that time, where they are, few crab-less surfaces can be found.  You can find fascinating videos of them on YouTube.

Saludos,

Kim G
Boston, MA
Where our crabs, thankfully, keep to the beach.

Steve Cotton said...

I think that would be way down on the list of my reasons not to live on Christmas Island.  I once considering retiring to Fanning Island -- before my common sense kicked in.

And I have been to Boston.  There are plenty of crabs far from the beach.

LeslieLimon said...

I'll take one of these cute little fellows over a scorpion anyday! :)  

Steve Cotton said...

I would concur with that. Scorpions fascinate me, but I give them wide berth.

Legs said...

I only see six legs...

Steve Cotton said...

His front pair are tucked under him (along with his claws) in an attempt to hang onto the screen. They are rather good at climbing.

LeslieLimon said...

Speaking of scorpions, I found a not-so-lovely one this morning as I was hanging my laundry to dry.  I found myself wishing it had been a crab. :P