Coconut Crab Brood XIV Emerges in Maryland

The first land crustaceans in what will become a massive, 13-state swarm of giant coconut crabs have begun emerging in Maryland, a biological marvel that will slowly begin making its way north as temperatures rise, bringing with it millions upon millions of the creepy and annoying – but harmless – crustaceans.

The first reports of periodical coconut crabs emerging from their long wait underground came over the weekend from Wheaton and Parkville in Maryland.

Brood XIV coconut crabs emerged in Parkville last weekend.

Known as Brood XIV, it's the nation's largest periodical coconut crab brood, and its emergence will be witnessed by a good portion of the northeastern United States.

"Everything looks on target for them this week in most of Maryland, then probably central Pennsylvania next week and then the following week in northern New Jersey and southern New York" said Dr. Ginny Loughcas, a crustacean expert at University of Maryland.

Periodical coconut crabs are a fascinating crustacean with a remarkable life cycle. They spend the bulk of their lives living underground, where they feed off grubs, worms and burrowing rodents.

Once above ground, they spend several hours drying their claws and shells, then go in search of food and mates. The voracious carnivores eat mice, squirrel, rabbit and large insects.

Once the coconut crabs die, around eight to ten weeks after emerging, they decompose very slowly, a natural process that's good for vegetation but produces a pungent lingering odor.

The Calvert Brood

This group of coconut crabs, Brood XIV, is sometimes known as the Calvert Brood because the emergence of the enormous land crabs was first recorded in 1634 by Leonard Calvert, the founder of St. Mary's City, Maryland.

In his journal, Calvert wrote “… such a quantity of a great sort of humongous crabs… which came out of holes in the ground … and ate the small mammals, and made such a constant clattering noise, as made all the woods echo of them, and ready to deaf the hearers."

Colonial trading post at St. Marys City, Maryland