water is clear and people are scarce. He also says shell aficionados should shuffle their feet when walk-ing
in the water. “If you bump into an animal, it swims away. If you step on an animal, they feel threat-ened,
and you’ll be hurt,” Timmerman explains.
As beautiful as they often are, shells are more than collectors’ items; they’re homes for mollusks,
whose shell grows with them as they age (unlike hermit crabs, for instance, who discard their shells as
they grow larger and older). A mollusk’s shell is its exoskeleton, a living part of the animal. Sometimes
collectors find shells with the animals still in them, so Timmerman cautions collectors to be careful
when choosing shells. “You want to make sure that the shells are plentiful. If there is only one of the
shell in the area, you should inspect the shell, but leave it in its natural habitat. Otherwise, you’ll dis-turb
the animal.” Timmerman suggests that you wait until you find an abundance of shells, around a
dozen or so, and then take a few with you to keep for yourself.
Shell ID 101 Here are some definite keepers you might see at the Shell Show:
Ocea n-
front Duple x
19 E. Henderson Street
Wrightsville Beach $1,695,000
sound
front
ocea n
Views
726 S. Lumina Ave
Wrightsville Beach $895,000
Sound
front/
boat slip
14
WBM september 2010
Scotch Bonnet Shell
The Scotch Bonnet Shell has been North Carolina’s state shell
since 1965. It was named in 1778 after its resemblance to the
caps that Scottish peasants wore. It’s smooth and round on
the top, and some have spots on them. On the bottom, it has
what Timmerman calls “pimples,” whose purpose, he believes,
is to stop predators. “If an animal reaches in with their suction-cup
mouth, it has nothing solid to hold onto,” he says. Scotch
Bonnets are plentiful in the Outer Banks. After storms, there can
be thousands on the beach.
Knobbed Whelk
Knobbed whelks are commonly called conch shells and can
be used to “listen to the ocean” through their opening. They
have knobs on the largest part of the shell, and the ends are
pointed. They are found locally and can be as large as 16 inches.
You can find whelks crawling around in knee-deep water,
searching for oysters and clams, their favorite foods. They use
their hard shell to separate the clam and oyster shells. If nothing
appeals to them, they’ll eat other whelks.
Moon Snail
Moon snails have the same diet as whelks and feed on other
mollusks, but while whelks only leave scratches and small chips
while opening oyster and clam shells, moon snails leave holes.
They find the weakest part of the shell, drill a hole and eat the
animal through it. This process can take hours and sometimes
even days to complete. It leaves the prey shell with a small hole
that’s perfect for making jewelry. Moon snails can grow as large
as seven inches wide and, because of their size, are able to glide
through the sand with ease. — Amanda Thames
Allison Breiner Potter
322 Causeway Drive #109 and #508
Seapath Towers @ Wrightsville Beach
$479,000 and $769,000
2601 N. Lumina Ave
Wrightsville Beach $3,795,000