Bonita Springs Florida live conch shell

Live Fighting conch photo by Carla Barone

Just in time for Halloween…. The Invasion of the Fighting Conchs! Ooooh. Scary!

I didn’t make it down to Bonita Beach to see the beached FIGHTING  CONCH phenomenon that I posted about yesterday (click HERE to go to that post) but our blog buddy Carla took great photos of  the beach littered with these seashells. We still don’t know why there are so many dying but they are testing the water so when/if we find out, I’ll keep you posted. I’m hoping the answer is what Dr. Jose Leal quoted in the article yesterday “It could be mating”.

Conchs on Bonita Beach Florida

Conchs at Little Hickory photo by Carla Barone

Little Hickory pile of sea shells

Pile of fighting conchs photo by Carla Barone

Shellers wait for great days when there are piles of shells on the beach… but maybe not like this. It seems so sad. Carla said “They were piled up at the jetty’s today~100’s of them. I have seen days when they were stranded before but not piled up like that~sad…and stinky too.”

Little Hickory Bonita Beach shells

Little Hickory conchs photo by Carla Barone

Thank you Carla for showing us your photos. I’m just happy we didn’t have to smell them- no “scratch ‘n sniff” thank goodness.

Little Hickory fighting conchs

Fighting conchs photo by Carla Barone

I checked out the beach to see if there was anything like it on Captiva today at Blind Pass. Nothing like Carla saw but there are some shells rolling in and the water is fabulous!

Captiva rocks shells

Captiva's Blind Pass sand bar showing

Collecting seashells Captiva Island Florida

Betsy (Unionville, PA) not disappointed in the shelling

Shells Captiva jetty

Shelling at Blind Pass