Blue crabs do not eat more to prepare to winter hibernation (like, for instance, a black bear might). While blue crabs are heavier in the fall, this is because the crabs have gone through several molts and grown in size.

Blue crabs have a rapid growth rate and short life span. Few blue crabs live longer than three years.

Blue crabs are omnivores. They will eat nearly anything they can find, including bivalves, crustaceans, dead fish, bristle worms, detritus, and even other crabs!

Poor water clarity does not allow sunlight to reach bay grasses growing at the bottom of shallow waters. These underwater grasses provide food and habitat for many animals, including fish, crabs and birds. Without bay grasses, these animals may not have the food and habitat they need to survive.

Some fish and crabs may be able to swim away from areas without enough oxygen. But other animals – such as oysters, clams and worms – are not able to swim away, and can die if there is not enough oxygen around them.

Like all other species in the Chesapeake Bay, blue crabs need oxygen to survive. In rare cases, blue crabs have been known to come out of the water onto land to escape oxygen-deprived waters. This phenomenon is known as a “crab jubilee.”

Bay grass beds form communities that provide food and shelter for many species. Fish, crabs and other animals visit bay grass beds to seek out food and find shelter from larger predators. Bay grasses are also an important source of food for waterfowl such as ducks and geese.