While the tips of the male's claws are greenish blue, the female's claw tips are red. When blue crabs hatch in the Delaware Bay in July and August, wind and river flow transport them out into the ocean where they spend the first few weeks of their lives. At this point, the baby crabs look like tiny dots. Winds later position large numbers of these larval crabs near the Delaware Bay's mouth where tides help carry them back into the bay to mature. Blue crabs support one of the most valuable fisheries along the U.S. Atlantic coast.
Fishermen typically use fresh, oily bait such as bluefish in their crab pots to catch blue crabs.
Steamed blue crabs and fried crab cakes are a favorite of many coastal residents. For more information on the blue crab, check out the Blue Crab bulletin in our Sea Grant publications catalog. For dozens of award-winning crab cake recipes, please see our Coast Day Crab Cake Cookbook in the Sea Grant publications catalog. While fishing pressure is one concern, natural factors such as winds and currents can have serious impacts on the blue crab during its early life stages. In interdisciplinary research funded by the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program, Epifanio and oceanographer Richard Garvine are pooling their talents to map the natural forces that dictate the blue crab's itinerary in its first few months of life.