Transcript

Mating: Blue crabs mate in the brackish waters of the Bay from May to October.

Egg: Female crabs carrying eggs (sponge crabs) migrate south and spawn in saltier waters near the mouth of the Bay.

Zoea: Tiny blue crab larvae (zoea) molt and grow as currents take them into coastal waters.

Megalopa: In their second larval stage (megalopa), the crabs are pushed back into the Bay and seek shelter in grass beds and marshes.

Juvenile: At 2mm wide, juvenile crabs resemble their adult form, molting several times over 12 to 18 months before they reach maturity.

Adult: The cycle begins again as males (jimmies) carry their mates (sooks) for protection as the sook completes a final molt, and the pair mates.