Knobbed whelks have been in existence for more than 30 million years.
Knobbed Whelks are lovely inhabitants of the Delaware Shore. They are a type of sea snail, when found in the water they have a protective hard layer (the operculum) that fits like a door on the opening of their shell, which is connected to their squishy body. If the snail is missing from the shell, the finder will see the beautiful peach and orange color of the inside of the shell.
These carnivorous creatures eat crustaceans, clams and even other whelks by using the tip of their shell. During winter months they live in deep depths and in warmer months can be found in shallow water. They can sense through light, touch and smell. As a child one of my favorite things to do was "tickle a whelk" in which I'd rub its squishy body and it would squirt out a liquid- to this day I am still unsure what the liquid may be but it never harmed me.
The females lay a string of eggs in deep water twice a year, usually from September to October and April to May. The picture above shows the egg casing.
