How to Catch a Ghost Crab

Hunting ghost crabs can be a wonderful activity for the whole family. It's free, it's fun, and all you really need is a beach, a quiet night, and a flashlight. Ghost crabs are semi-terrestrial crabs of the subfamily ocypodinae. They are tiny and if they get to pinch you while trying to catch them, it won't hurt that much. Plus, chasing them gives you a fun excuse to spend time on the beach at night. By following a few key tips, you can maximize your success at ghost crab catching. Or if you're feeling extra crafty, you can fashion a ghost crab trap.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Hunting your Crab

  1. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 1
    1
    Find a beach where ghost crabs live. Ghost crabs are common shore crabs in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. They inhabit deep burrows in the inter-tidal zone. They are particularly popular on the Outer Banks beaches of North Carolina (and ghost crab hunting is a popular activity there), but they can be found on coastal beaches around the world.[1]
  2. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 2
    2
    Visit the beach at night. Ghost crabs are nocturnal, so in order to see them (let alone catch them), you must visit the beach at night. Go to your beach location after the sun has set.[2]
    Advertisement
  3. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 3
    3
    Scan the beach. Using your flashlight, scan up and down the beach looking for movement. Ghost crabs are small, quick, and the color of sand, so it may be hard to spot them at first. But with your flashlight, you'll soon begin to see them scurry.[3]
  4. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 4
    4
    Aim your flashlight. Once you have spotted a ghost crab, aim your flashlight right at him. Maybe you've heard the expression a “deer stuck in headlights”? Well, how about a crab stuck in a flashlight? When the light is shined on him, he will freeze.
  5. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 5
    5
    Scoop him up in your net. Keep your flashlight steady and approach him very slowly. Try not to spook him. As soon as you become close enough, scoop him up in your net. Then drop him from your net into your bucket. Congrats! You've just caught your first ghost crab.
  6. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 6
    6
    Release your crabs at the end of the night. Although this activity is often called ghost crab “hunting,” it is really more like ghost crab chasing. Be sure to release your little critters back into the wild after your fun evening of catching them.[4]
    7. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Getting Better Results

  1. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 7
    1
    Wear dark clothing. Ghost crabs are constantly on the look out for predators. Make yourself invisible (like them) by wearing dark colored clothing. You'll also want to walk softly, and stay quiet.[5]
  2. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 8
    2
    Choose the best time of year. You'll have the most fun catching ghost crabs if you do so during their peak season. The best time of year for catching ghost crabs is during the summer, from May to early September.[6]
  3. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 9
    3
    Find the best beaches. Ghost crabs can be found on coastal beaches around the world, for example in Costa Rica, Hawaii, and the Atlantic coast of the United States. But the best beaches within these regions to boast ghost crabs will be quiet, secluded places, without a lot people. Look for a beach that fits this bill to see the most ghost crabs.[7]
  4. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 10
    4
    Don't poke or prod. Although a pinch from a ghost crab won't hurt you too badly, it can hurt a little bit. You can minimize your chances of being pinched by a ghost crab, if you treat him with a little respect. Never poke or prod the crab unnecessarily.[8]
  5. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 11
    5
    Use a five-gallon bucket. Although any bucket or small container will work, using one large bucket (that you can share as a family) ensures that your crabs will not escape as you're gathering them. Of course you will release them all at the end of the night anyway, but it is fun to get a sense of how many your captured during your hunt.
    6. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Building a Trap

  1. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 12
    1
    Gather supplies. You'll need a one-gallon plastic jug (like a windshield-wiper fluid bottle), a cylindrical one-quart plastic bottle (like one used for rubbing alcohol), and one sheet of coarse sandpaper. You'll also need an x-acto knife, or a wood-burning tool, and you may want to use a hot glue gun.[9]
  2. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 13
    2
    Cut the gallon jug. Cut a hole in the bottom of the plastic gallon jug the same size as the cylindrical bottle. This can be accomplished by using a sharp x-acto knife or a wood-burning tool.[10]
  3. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 14
    3
    Cut the ends of the cylindrical bottle. Cut the top off the bottle using the x-acto knife or wood-burning tool. Then, using the x-acto knife or wood-burning tool, cut a circular hole in the bottom of the bottle, leaving just an 1/8” lip around the edge.[11]
  4. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 15
    4
    Affix the sandpaper in the tube. Roll up your piece of sandpaper (with the smooth side out) and place into the cylinder you have created. It should stick out the bottom about 1-2 inches. You can use hot glue to secure the sandpaper, if you like.[12]
  5. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 16
    5
    Connect the tube to the jug. Slide the cylinder (with the sandpaper) into the plastic jug, leaving only about 3 inches sticking out. Again, you can use a bit of hot glue to seal the opening, if you'd like. Remove the cap from the jug if you haven't already. This is your finished trap.[13]
  6. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 17
    6
    Find a crab hole. During the day, go to a beach where ghost crabs are known to hang out and look for a hole. Look for a hole with damp, dark sand around it, as this will indicate that there is a crab inside.[14]
  7. Image titled Catch a Ghost Crab Step 18
    7
    Set your trap. Slide the 3-inch cylindrical end of your trap into the crab hole and surround it with sand to secure it. Leave it overnight. In the morning, you can see if you've caught a crab![15]
    8. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    Can I keep a ghost crab as a pet?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You could keep the ghost crab, but if you want one, it's suggested to get it from a pet store. There are other types of crab that would be better, like a hermit crab.
  • Question
    Can ghost crabs be found in Australia?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, there are a few different species of ghost crabs found in Australia. It's best to look for them around dusk.
  • Question
    If I catch a ghost crab, is it safe to hold?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Unless you're very careful, it could pinch you.
Advertisement

Things You'll Need

  • Net
  • Flashlight
  • Bucket
  • Materials for a trap (optional)
  • Dark clothing (optional)

You Might Also Like

Keep Blue Crabs Alive
How to
Keep Blue Crabs Alive
Care for Ghost Crabs
How to
Care for Ghost Crabs
Take Care of Fiddler Crabs
How to
Take Care of Fiddler Crabs
Set up a Crabitat
How to
Set up a Crabitat
Know when Your Hermit Crab Is Dead
How to
Know when Your Hermit Crab Is Dead
Care for Hermit CrabsHermit Crab Care: Everything You Need to Keep Hermies Happy and Healthy
Look After Pet Crabs
How to
Look After Pet Crabs
Tell If a Hermit Crab Is Sick
How to
Tell If a Hermit Crab Is Sick
Set Up a Tank for Your Red Clawed Crab
How to
Set Up a Tank for Your Red Clawed Crab
Feed Hermit Crabs
How to
Feed Hermit Crabs
Make Your Hermit Crab Live for a Long Time
How to
Make Your Hermit Crab Live for a Long Time
Maintain Humidity in a Pet Hermit Crab Habitat
How to
Maintain Humidity in a Pet Hermit Crab Habitat
Create a Hermit Crab Habitat
How to
Create a Hermit Crab Habitat
Give Your Hermit Crab a Bath
How to
Give Your Hermit Crab a Bath
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ http://travelogged.com/2015/04/25/ghost-crab-hunting-in-the-outer-banks/
  2. ↑ http://travelogged.com/2015/04/25/ghost-crab-hunting-in-the-outer-banks/
  3. ↑ http://tipsforfamilytrips.com/virginia/ghost-crab-hunting/
  4. ↑ http://tipsforfamilytrips.com/virginia/ghost-crab-hunting/
  5. ↑ http://www.outerbanks.com/ghost-crabs.html
  6. ↑ http://travelogged.com/2015/04/25/ghost-crab-hunting-in-the-outer-banks/
  7. ↑ http://www.outerbanks.com/ghost-crabs.html
  8. ↑ http://www.outerbanks.com/ghost-crabs.html
  9. ↑ http://www.islc.net/~fripplog/crab%20trap.htm
  1. ↑ http://www.islc.net/~fripplog/crab%20trap.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.islc.net/~fripplog/crab%20trap.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.islc.net/~fripplog/crab%20trap.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.islc.net/~fripplog/crab%20trap.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.islc.net/~fripplog/crab%20trap.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.islc.net/~fripplog/crab%20trap.htm

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 70,101 times.
25 votes - 92%
Co-authors: 10
Updated: January 23, 2020
Views: 70,101
Categories: Crabs
Article SummaryX

If you want to catch ghost crabs, visit the beach after sunset as they're nocturnal. Also, wear dark clothing so the crabs find it harder to spot you. When you arrive, scan the beach with your flashlight for movement. Once you spot a ghost crab, which is small and sandy-colored, shine your light directly at it to make it stand still. Then, approach the crab slowly, scoop it up with your net, and put it in a bucket. At the end of your hunt, remember to release the crabs you've caught back into the wild so they can run free. For tips on how to find the best beaches for ghost crabs and how to build a trap to catch them, read on!

Did this summary help you?
Advertisement