What happens when hermit crabs confuse plastic trash for shells? An ‘avalanche’ of death. Plastic can be dangerous for hermit crabs. A 2019 study of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a remote ...

Land hermit crabs have been using bottle tops, parts of old light bulbs and broken glass bottles, instead of shells. New research by Polish researchers studied 386 images of hermit crabs occupying ...

Land hermit crabs have been using bottle tops, parts of old light bulbs, and broken glass bottles as shelters instead of shells. Polish researchers studied 386 images of hermit crabs occupying ...

A hermit crab wears a red plastic cap as a shell. Shawn Miller For as much as they may be using human trash for their benefit, hermit crabs are still incredibly vulnerable to its complex materials ...

In a stark reflection of the global plastic crisis, hermit crabs are increasingly forced to wear discarded trash instead of natural shells. This eye-opening video reveals how pollution is reshaping ...

Hermit crabs scavenge for shells to protect their bodies. Credit: Shawn Miller Hermit crab species are increasingly choosing to use discarded plastic waste as a protective armour for their bodies ...

Marta Szulkin, Zuzanna Jagiello and Łukasz Dylewski searched the internet for pictures of Hermit crabs and found 386 instances of the crustaceans using artificial shells - mainly plastic caps.

Social media users were concerned by the scene in the viral clip, with one writing: "this is why we don't collect shells." ...

Scientists found that plastic pollution is leading hermit crabs to use human trash instead of natural shells, a study said and photos show. Photo from Shawn Miller via Jagiello, Dylewski and ...

A hermit crab will change shells once it outgrows the current one it’s inhabiting. During a process called molting, which typically occurs once every 12 to 18 months for adult hermit crabs, but ...

Mark Briffa works for the University of Plymouth. He receives funding from the UK BBSRC. Land hermit crabs have been using bottle tops, parts of old light bulbs and broken glass bottles, instead ...