Social Life Among Lobsters

Exodus 15:11
"Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

For years scientists have thought that lobsters were loners. Intensive study of the lifestyle of lobsters now shows that lobsters have their own very complex, bustling society.

The average lobster spends many of its evening hours checking out newcomers and spying on its neighbors. A lobster will walk to neighboring lobster shelters in rocks or other protective structures and stick its head in each one to see if anyone is home. If the neighbor is out, the spying lobster will inspect his neighbor's home. If someone is at home, the two lobsters will face each other. If the visitor is larger than the one already in the shelter, the larger lobster evicts everyone in the shelter. As soon as everyone is out, the larger lobster allows everyone to return to their home.

Lobsters, it seems are not hermits but prefer to live socially. They often move to new neighborhoods or to new shelters within their own neighborhoods. And when a newcomer enters a neighborhood, he is checked out by all the residents.

The lobster's two week long courtship and mating ritual is especially touching in its apparent affection.

There seems to be no limit to the Creator's ability to make unique creatures and provide them with their own, often very complex, way of life. Such imagination is not produced by accident!

Notes: Ravven, Wallace. 1987. "Lobster Lust: Don Juans of the Deep." Discover, Dec., p. 34.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

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