Life Cycle of the Blue Crab Created by Ms.Ibelli

Life Cycle of the Blue Crab

Eggs Mature female crabs migrate to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Depending on the size of the female, the blue crabs carry and release 800,000 to 8,000,000 eggs.

Zoea When the larvae reach a certain developmental stage the eggs break open and the larvae --now called zoea--are released into the water column.

Megalopa The eggs hatch into the first larval stage called the zoea. Zoea are too small to swim and simply float in the ocean waters where they feed on phytoplankton. After four or five weeks of floating in ocean currents, a zoea develops into the second larval stage and is now called a megalopa.

Juvenile Crabs Juvenile crabs are tiny crabs that can swim or walk on the muddy bay bottom. The juvenile crabs continue to migrate into the Bay along the shallow areas and use the underwater sea grasses as a refuge. By hiding in these beds of underwater grasses they can escape from large crabs and other predators.

Adult Crabs After about 12 to 18 months, a juvenile crab reaches maturity. When young female crabs become mature, it is time for them to mate to create the next generation of blue crabs. After mating, the mature females migrate to the mouth of the Bay carrying her brood of eggs. And the cycle continues!

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