Horseshoe Crabs and Project Limulus

Horseshoe crab.

If you’ve been interested in learning more about horseshoe crabs in Long Island Sound (LIS) or have considered participating in the annual spawning surveys, don't miss a workshop with Mark Beekey, Associate Professor of Biology at Sacred Heart University on Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. at the Mercy Center, 167 Neck Rd., Madison, Conn.

Project Limulus is a long-term research project investigating the life history and population ecology of the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) in Long Island Sound. Since the inception of this project in 1997, more than 77,000 horseshoe crabs have been tagged with over 12,000 reported recaptures.

The present and future management of LIS horseshoe crabs will be discussed, as well as why volunteers are so important. After the indoor program, walk to the Mercy Center’s beach to conduct a training session on how to tag and record horseshoe crabs.

Survey teams currently patrol Branford and Guilford beaches.  A training session for potential survey volunteers is included in the afternoon event.