This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.

Less than one-inch long, and with speckled shells that blend into their sandy environment, mole crabs are some of smallest and hardiest creatures found on beaches along the Atlantic coast. Also known as sand crabs, beach hoppers, or sand bugs, these diminutive egg-shaped crustaceans live in a harsh environment, where breaking waves constantly wash over their hiding places beneath the sand. Burrowed tail-down to hide from predators like shorebirds, the crabs keep their feathery antennae poking up at the sand’s surface, allowing them to filter feed on microscopic plants and other organic matter pulled from the retreating waters. Look closely — their antennae give away their hiding spots by forming a v-shaped pattern in the receding waters. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.