Subtitle: When Transformers Come to Life…and Charge at You!
A couple of nights ago, in the pitch-black darkness of midnight, I stumbled upon a bizarre sight that seemed straight out of a Transformers action movie. While walking home, I spotted a mysterious creature scurrying across the road. Intrigued and slightly perplexed, I couldn’t help but investigate further. Little did I know this encounter would be both hilarious and nerve-wracking.
As I approached, it appeared to be a large Blue Land Crab which crawled under a nearby car. I have seen plenty of crabs on St Croix, but nothing resembling this specimen’s size. Intrigued, I wanted to see if my late-night sleepy eyes were playing tricks on me, so I dropped down to the ground to look under the car. What I saw was both cool and scary at the same time. Scary because of the crabs size and having a rather large threatening claw, and cool because of the confidence it displayed by having such a weapon of intimidation. Yes, it saw me peeking under the car and it thought prudent to make a charge at me. And yes, to my surprise, it caught me off guard in a way that saw me quickly retreat to safety atop a small nearby wall. What the hell was this thing?
This creature had a back measuring at least 5 to 6 inches across, accompanied by that previously mentioned large menacing right claw. Two local stray cats starring, who usually fearlessly roam the neighborhood, wanted absolutely nothing to do with this monstrous crustacean. I couldn’t help but wonder, had they learned this from a previous encounter with this intimidating creature?
After recovering from the shock and laughing off the absurdity of the situation, I knew I had to find out more about this mysterious creature. So, I captured a few snapshots for posterity before heading indoors to investigate. Turns out this was no ordinary crab, it was a magnificent Blue Land Crab, a species not commonly found in the town of Frederiksted where I reside, but more abundant near the island’s wetlands and vegetation-rich areas.
Let me enlighten you about these enchanting creatures. Many people in the Virgin Islands rarely catch a glimpse of these land crabs, as they prefer the cover of darkness to make their appearances. The larger blue ones are usually males and sport an otherworldly appearance with their ghostly blue hue, growing to an impressive size of 5 to 7 inches across their backs. They usually sport a menacing large claw, complemented by a smaller, thinner one, while their eyes stand tall on stalks. On the other hand, the females have a more subdued light gray coloration, and the juveniles can flaunt shades of brown, orange, or even purplish tones.
Despite their land-dwelling nature, these crabs maintain a close connection to the water. As adults, they tend to dwell in the vicinity of water bodies, digging deep holes in the mud for shelter. These burrows can extend several feet deep and are designed to keep the crabs damp while providing a safe haven from predators. The breeding cycle of these fascinating creatures coincides with the full moon during the rainy season. The females deposit their eggs into nearby shallow saltwater a couple of weeks after the moon’s glow reaches its peak.
While land crabs are not a common sight on the island, they are considered a delicacy by some locals. Locals then use them to make a seasoned stew called Callaloo. Since they primarily come out at night to avoid becoming bird food, locals armed with flashlights and buckets embark on nocturnal crab-catching adventures. These resourceful islanders diligently dig up the crabs from their ground dwellings. But before indulging in the mouthwatering crab goodness, a peculiar preparation ritual awaits. The crabs are fed corn for a couple of weeks to cleanse their digestive systems from the unsavory contents of their diet, which often includes eating dead things.
Had I known about the delectable nature of these remarkable creatures, my encounter might have taken a different turn. Nevertheless, I can’t help but feel pleased with my unforgettable rendezvous with this little transformer-like fellow. His audacious charge left an indelible mark on my late-night adventure, making me appreciate the hidden marvels of nature that reside just a stone’s throw away from my doorstep. So, dear readers, should you ever find yourself face to claw with a crab from another dimension, don’t forget to snap a few pictures and savor the unexpected hilarity of the encounter. But for this crab in particular, his aggression served him well on this night.