Common Hermit Crab

What do they look like?

The largest of a variety of hermit crab species found in the UK. To protect their soft bodies, hermit crabs live in the discarded shells of seasnails, such as whelks, and will progressively move to larger shells as they grow. Their bodies are brownish red, and they have two knobbly pincers. The right pincer is the largest and is often used in defence. They can often be found with other sea organisms such as algae or anemones attached to their shells.

Where can I find them in Scotland?

Hermit crabs are found throughout the UK seas as deep as 150 metres below the surface, usually in large groups. However, you can sometimes spot solitary hermit crabs in rockpools. Sometimes they end up in these pools following rough weather, which causes them to be dispersed from their homes.