August 14, 2011 Milking Horse Shoe Crabs

Here is a beautiful example of man utilizing nature in a way that does not destroy. I only wish this were the norm.

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I have to admit this image totally grosses me out. It is all I could do to create the post with my gut in a clench to avoid tossing . . .

I guess it is just seeing these creatures clamped down with a tube draining blue liquid. It is a bit too alien for me. It's just kinda creepy.

Or it is what humans tend to fear aliens will do to us.

Whatever it is, the image is just too much for me, even though the whole practice seems so noble and harm-free.

And just how in the world did someone discover this in the first place? Do scientists just randomly go around playing with the blood of creatures to see what it will do?

We have a small island near my home that is covered with Horse shoe crabs.

Looks like Blue Smoothie time at the Darth Vader factory.

Tough little things. Folded in half until its dorsal joint cracks open, drained of a fifth of their blood through that wound, and only a 15% mortality rate.

15% mortality is only an approximation, but it's close enough in horse shoes.

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Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama in a way that does not destroy

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Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama even though the whole practice seems so noble and harm-free

What percentage of humans die without the microbial screening? It's not like they're torturing them for their all-natural aphrodisiac and penis-enlargement properties.

This is 20% ... ???
Nearly a whole bottle that is half the size of the poor bastard's entire body?
You ever had blood drawn and they bring out a 55 gallon drum?

Where is the butter?

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Originally Posted by Wombat erm, 15% of them die.

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Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama To rephrase: . . . in a way that does not wipe out the horse shoe crab population. Unlike the practice of harvesting shark fins where the fins are cut off and the shark thrown back into the water to die. 85% of the horse shoe crabs get returned to the ocean to live another day. Plus, I think it is great that they are using crabs from the ocean and not creating an industry of raising them in captivity.

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Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama Unlike the practice of harvesting shark fins where the fins are cut off and the shark thrown back into the water to die. 85% of the horse shoe crabs get returned to the ocean to live another day.

:::chortle:::

Chuckles indeed.

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Originally Posted by Nirvana Where is the butter?

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Some people eat horseshoe crab eggs and roe, since there aren't any other edible parts on it. These creatures aren't even really crabs, let alone any type of crustacean. Although they may look similar to a crab, they actually belong to the family of Limulidae. This said, they are much closer to scorpions, spiders, and ticks than they are to any crustacean.

What, you didn't know that's what they make Egg McMuffins out of?

Ewwww - spider sex.
That's what I think when I see a large woman with a much smaller man.

I wonder if she might eat him afterwards.

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Originally Posted by Sundae I wonder if she might eat him afterwards.

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Originally Posted by richlevy Sorry, but no Quote: Some people eat horseshoe crab eggs and roe, since there aren't any other edible parts on it. These creatures aren't even really crabs, let alone any type of crustacean. Although they may look similar to a crab, they actually belong to the family of Limulidae. This said, they are much closer to scorpions, spiders, and ticks than they are to any crustacean.

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Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama Kind of like the praying mantis.

Conch love to eat them.