Mantis Shrimp Found On Cape May County Beach

Mantis Shrimp Found On Cape May County Beach

Living in a shore town in the off-season you happen to stumble on to some marine life that you wouldn’t see any other time of year. During late October through mid November we normally get hit with some bad storms. These storms sometimes push certain marine life on to our beaches.

A few days ago Marianne G was walking the beaches in the Villas when she happened to stumble upon a group of strange looking shrimp/lobster. Seeing that they looked like they were dying she decided to pick them up and put them back in the water.

She posted a photo on Facebook to see if anyone knew what they were and some were quick to point out that they were mantis shrimp. 

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For those who don’t know what mantis shrimp are, they are flat, large-clawed shrimp with three sets of weak walking legs. Some call them the praying Mantis due to the way their claws are held.

Mantis shrimp are fierce predators. They use their mandibles to punch through claims to break them open. Marianne was lucky that day because Mantis shrimp can use their punch to hurt humans.

NatGeo did a fantastic video about the Mantis Shrimp. I suggest checking it out below! Oh and if you see them on the beach, don’t touch them. 

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