Sand hoppers

[NetFrog]

I woke up on the beach last weekend to find my firepit FULL of around several thousand sandhoppers. Some toasted and some just nicely cooked through. I tasted a couple and they seemed OK. Not my ideal breakfast but assuming they are edible then certainly a food source.

The next night I dug a hole under my tarp and shone a light in it, now the sand beneath my tarp was just hopping crazy with these things. Within 5 minutes the sand was cleared and I had a hole full of sandhoppers so I can only assume they follow the light/heat source. A great way of clearing your tarp on a beach if you don't want to be hopped on whilst trying to sleep (no doubt thousands more will get in after but at least if you are asleep already then np)

Anyone else ate them? I have googled it a bit and cannot see any reasons not too other than keep it to clean beaches.

Cheers.

 

[Harvestman]

Should be entirely edible, subject to a reasonably unpolluted beach. A food source that comes to you!

 

[NetFrog]

A picture of my firepit the day after they all jumped in!

 

[Robbi]

they're meant to taste a bit like shrimp, is that true as i've not tried them myself.

 

[NetFrog]

I found them relatively tasteless other than the smoky roast flavour from the fire. However I ate 3 as opposed to a large handful!

 

[Robbi]

Hmmmm..........i wonder how you would keep them in a frying pan long enough to cook them

 

[NetFrog]

No need, just dig a pit and shove some embers in it. By morning you will have hundreds of BBQd sandhoppers!

 

[Sabot]

Incredibly suicidal things sand hopper. I've seen them jump into a fire en masse.

Very disconcerting for someone not used to seeing them too. I was taking a short beach stroll with a friend after dark, who hadn't encountered them before. There was a pattering noise and he wondered if it was raining. I bit confused as he couldn't feel anything. I shone my torch at his feet to where hundreds of sand hoppers were jumping about causing this bizarre noise. He promptly jumped about six foot in the air himself. I spent the next five minutes in stitches explaining how these creatures were perfectly normal, harmless and weren't out to get him.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Land shrimps.... yes, you can eat them (depending on how clean the beach is) but I'm going to pass.

Our feet used to get covered on them as old fishing bait was dropped when changing for new.
A mates wife found one crawling up her livingroom curtains after a fishing trip. She was not amused!

 

[spandit]

I've never heard of these - brave of you to eat even 3 of them. It's a pity they weren't more delicious otherwise you'd have a great feast for breakfast!

 

[Harvestman]

If you live in the south west of England (well, cornwall and southern devon mainly) there's a fully terrestrial species that lives in leaf litter in woodlands, Not native to the UK, but introduced, and spreading I believe.