Learn more about these remarkable animals, whose evolutionary history dates back to 450 million years! This is the time of year where adult female horseshoe crabs will begin to nest after spawning. Females will come onto shore during high tide, according to the New and Full Moon phases. Cornell Cooperative Extension has a Horseshoe Crab Monitoring Network, which is a citizen science effort throughout the entire state, aimed to gather data for management and conservation purposes. We need your help in counting and tagging efforts to assess the status of these magnificent creatures!

As we complete the season for seeing nesting horseshoe crabs this will be a data count only (no tagging).

Times are according to the optimal tides for horseshoe crab patterns, which is why it’ll be taking place late at night. We will be meeting at West Meadow Beach located on Trustees Road in Stony Brook.

WHAT TO BRING/FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS:

• Clothing: rain gear or anything water resistant, rain boots/sneakers that might get a little wet, windbreaker, wear layers as it’ll feel colder on the beach, especially at night
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Water bottle