Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Get more out of your collecting by learning what animals lived in the shells you pick up.
Look for bubbling holes in the wet sand. This indicates mollusk burrows, which means there should be abandoned shells nearby.
Check out the rules concerning shell collecting in the areas that you are interested in. Some places don't allow collecting or allow it only during certain times of year. Some require permits. The local park service is a good place to start looking for information.
Use a piece of screen stretched onto a wooden frame to sieve out the sand. (Be sure to use a type of screen that won't degrade from the water - brass is good.)
Put things back if you move them. Rocks and driftwood may reveal a great find, but remember those places are also likely somebody's home.
Handle starfish and sand dollars (phylum Echinodermata) carefully - they're very delicate.