Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, March 18, 2024
I saw this moon snail at Point Robinson Park on Maury Island several years ago. I had a great day looking at all of the intertidal critters as well as the bird life around there! There were even some wildflowers and on a clear day, there are great views of Mt Rainier.
The moon snail is the largest snail you’ll see in the Puget Sound area. Apparently, there are three different species here (the Arctic, the Pale and the Lewis’ moon snail) but you need to see the opposite side of the shell to what is pictured to determine which type it is. (Moon snails can be as large as 5 – 6 inches.)
You may be more familiar with its gray egg casings which look like a collar of gray sand that stands up by itself. There can be millions of eggs between the layers of sand which are held together by mucous.
You may have picked up what looked like a perfect clam shell only to find a round hole drilled into it. That would be the work of the moon snail as that’s how it is able to get to its prey.
LORD, you have made many things;
with your wisdom you made them all.
The earth is full of your riches.
Look at the sea, so big and wide,
with creatures large and small that cannot be counted.
Psalm 104:24-25 (NCV)