Red Crabs

Most people tend to associate crabs with the sea or swampy mangrove type areas, and Barbados is no exception. We have crabs that live on rocks by the sea (we call them “shaggas”), ghost crabs that live in the sand on the beach, myriad crabs that live in the water that we rarely see, and we have assorted land crabs.

The land crabs here in Barbados are mainly small hermit crabs, large swampys (these are the ones that people eat) and red crabs. Hermit crabs are usually found in close proximity to the coast, swampys are found in or near small streams and swamp/mangrove areas, and red crabs are found near to the sea.

Red crabs tend to grow to be about six inches from toe to toe, and they really are quite pretty with the back or carapace being a deep almost wine red to brown colour, and the legs being a bright red (will add some photos when I can capture some of these elusive creatures). And the little youngsters are very cute, but boy are they a nuisance.

They seem to multiply rapidly and each one will dig its own hole in your garden, and fast as you fill the holes back in, they dig them out again. If you’re unlucky enough to have red crabs in your garden, it is near impossible to have a nice lawn as it will be full of crab holes. If you have any gravel or sand around, they will take over that area too. They can’t penetrate concrete, but they will dig holes down the side of the slab and continue the holes under the concreted area. They really are a nuisance.

I was recently doing some work on the south-east coast of the island at a property that has hundreds of red crabs, and I think one hitched a ride with me one day - it must have been under the wheel housing or in the engine, I don’t know, but what I do know is that I keep seeing a hole appear in my front yard now that looks very much like a crab hole.

I haven’t seen the culprit ... yet, but I will. I’ve tried filling in the hole but it reappears. I don’t really want to kill the crab but I definitely don’t want it setting up house in my yard, especially if it’s a female carrying eggs - that would be a disaster. If it’s a lone male it won’t be so bad as it will eventually die. I keep hoping that it will move to a neighbour’s yard that is more attractive to crabs.

I live nowhere near the sea, so if a salty environment is necessary for it to survive, it won’t do well by me. I’ll have to wait and see what happens.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.