Welcome to Beachcombing Bliss

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Welcome to my new blog where I'm going to share my beachcombing adventures in and around Anna Maria Island, Florida. If you're not familiar with the island, we're located on the Gulf of Mexico (the western side of Florida), where the sand is white and the water is emerald green to turquoise -- depending on the time of year. 


Egg casing and Lightning Whelk 


Today I want to share with you about one of my favorite shells -- the lightning whelk. It starts from an egg casing (the creature and the shell) and can grow up to 16 inches long. As babies, before they break through their egg casing, they're called a protoconch.  

Lightning whelks are unique in that they open on the left side -- most shells open from the right side. My favorite color is chocolate brown and I've collected them from the size of a pencil head eraser to about 16 inches. 

Four different species can be found in Florida waters and they're all beautiful. 

Whelks are carnivorous and they like the temperate waters of SW Florida, They eat worms, and mollusks (mussels and clams) and sometimes they even eat other whelks. 

If you find a live whelk on the beach, please place it gently back in the water. We want to preserve as much of the natural wildlife as possible. However, if the shell is empty and no creature is inside, you're free to keep it. I've actually seen hermit crabs crawl out of a large lightning whelk, but they inhabit whatever they can get their "hands" on. 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more of my beachcombing adventures. 

Until next time . . . 


Connie 






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