Whelk Egg Case String
Busycon egg capsules
Markings and exact colorations may vary.
A long string of parchment discs, each once holding dozens of tiny whelks.
- Typical size
- 6–30 in
- How often it turns up
- Common
- Collecting
- Usually legal to collect
- Handling
- May be alive
Shake one gently. If tiny shells rattle out, return the string to the water. Dry, empty strings are fine to keep.
How to tell it apart
- Chain of coin-sized papery discs
- Tan or cream, dry and rattly
- Up to two feet long
Found one?
Photograph it and BeachNut ranks the likely matches with a confidence read, then logs it to your collection with the beach and date.
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More not sure in the field guide
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