At Costas Inn, we know a lot about blue crabs and how delicious they are, whether it’s knowing the perfect wines to pair with crab cakes or how to perfectly steam blue crabs. However, even we didn’t know some of these fun facts about blue crabs! Test your blue crab knowledge today with these fun facts.
Where Do Blue Crabs Live?
Blue crabs are located in brackish water along the east coast, stretching all the way from Nova Scotia to the Gulf of Mexico. Blue crabs are very selective about where they live, so we are very lucky that they like the Chesapeake Bay! Blue crabs eat a wide variety of things including mussels, snails, fish, plants, carrion, and smaller soft-shelled blue crabs.
How Are Female Blue Crabs Different?
Female blue crabs look totally different from male blue crabs, since they have bright red claws. Female blue crabs mate only once during their entire lives and they carry their babies in a sack located in their abdomen. The large sack looks like a sponge, so female blue crabs are often called sponge crabs.
Quick Fun Facts
Did you know that:
- Blue crabs are very closely related to both lobster and shrimp
- Blue crabs have adapted over time to have hind legs that function (and look) like paddles to help them swim
- Blue crabs are very quick to defend themselves with their front pincers, so be careful when handling them!
- Blue crabs only live from 1-4 years in the wild and they grow to a weight of 1-2 lbs.
Your Blue Crab Destination this Summer
Costas Inn has been a Baltimore tradition since 1971. You may recognize our restaurant, which was recently featured on the Food Network with Michael Symon on Burgers, Brew, and ‘Que! We were also voted the 2015 #1 Baltimore Seafood Restaurant by USA Today, as well as #1 Crab Restaurant 2014 in the Baltimore Business Journal. You may have also spotted Costas Inn during one of our 9 appearances on the Today Show or heard one of our many interviews on WJZ TV Channel 13 with Ron Matz and Marty Bass.
You can enjoy our famous crab cakes in-house or order them online for anytime eating. We also provide some of the best seafood catering in the Baltimore area! You can also get your fill from Costas even when you’re not in our dining room: follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube!