How To Become Part Of A Volunteer Team Patrolling Madison Beaches To Tag And Record Horseshoe Crabs

On Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m., at the Mercy Center at 167 Neck Road, in Madison CT, area residents can learn more about the horseshoe crabs that visit the shoreline, and how they can participate in a long-term research project that is documenting the life history and population ecology of the American horseshoe crab. The even is being sponsored by the Menunkatuck Audubon Society.

To find out more or RSVP on the Horseshoe Crab Workshop: Project Limulus Facebook page. Here is information about the event from the Facebook page: 

If you’ve been interested in learning more about horseshoe crabs in Long Island Sound or have considered participating in the annual spawning surveys, this workshop is for you! Mark Beekey, Associate Professor of Biology at Sacred Heart University will present

Project Limulus: The Past, Present, and Future of Horseshoe Crab Population Dynamics in Long Island Sound 

Workshop will include a training session for potential survey volunteers.

Project Limulus is a long-term research project investigating the life history and population ecology of the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) in Long Island Sound (LIS). Mark will present the results from more than 10 years of research.

Since the inception of Project Limulus in 1997, over 77,000 horseshoe crabs have been tagged with over 12,000 reported recaptures, a 15% recapture rate. Mark/recapture analyses indicate that 98% of crabs tagged in LIS are recaptured in LIS. Horseshoe crab spawning surveys conducted from 2008 to 2012 on over 30 beaches bordering LIS indicate relatively stable spawning populations. However, spawning indices are 3-4 orders of magnitude lower than Delaware Bay.

Ongoing juvenile surveys suggest the presence of three or more cohorts in marshes and intertidal zones around LIS. The present and future management of LIS horseshoe crabs will be discussed, as well as why volunteers are so important. 

After indoor program we will walk to the Mercy Center’s beach to conduct a training session on how to tag and record horseshoe crabs. Survey teams currently patrol Branford and Guilford beaches. While our hope is to create a volunteer team for Madison’s beaches, all are welcome to attend.