Biology of Lobstars

What is molting?
Molting is basically when a lobster sheds its shell in order to grow and form a new one. It goes through a long process of creating a new exoskeleton in preparation.  When the lobster is ready to molt it will roll to its side and its shell will open on its back.  It normally takes a few minutes for the lobster to break free from its old shell.  Once it does get out a new shell will start to form over time.

Molting Video

What is the life cycle of a lobster?
Lobsters start as tiny eggs attached under their mothers tail.  When it is time for them to be released she flaps her tail in a rhythmic motion sending the newly hatched larva up to the top of the ocean.  The larva do not look like lobsters yet, but almost like little bugs.  The lobster will then molt three times at the top of the ocean.  It then begins to look more like an adult lobster.  The lobster then searches for a place on the bottom of the ocean to hide.  When it finds a place, usually hard bottom with plenty of places to hide, the lobster will stay in hiding for the first year of its life.  This is to prevent becoming prey for another animal because at this point the lobster still is small and mostly defenseless.  After the first year or so the lobster will have become an adult lobster capable to come out of hiding.







http://octopus.gma.org/lobsters/allaboutlobsters/society.html

Does every egg survive?
Every time a mother lays her eggs, she produces about 100,000 eggs.  Of every 50,000 only about 2 of these eggs will survive until they are adults.  The newly born larva are very likely to get eaten by a predator as they are mainly defenseless.

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0854908.html

What do lobsters eat?
Lobsters prefer to eat fresh food but will scavenge if there is nothing else.  They prefer crab, but will eat many types of animals such as clams, muscles, sea urchins, or worms.  During the first years of their life while they are in hiding they will eat anything that floats their way.  In captivity they may also become cannibalistic, eating other lobsters.  To prevent this, their claws must always be banded.  In order to eat their food, lobsters use their claws.  The bigger claw is called the crusher claw, used to crush shells.  The smaller is called the ripper claw, used to tear apart their prey.

http://www.ehow.com/info_8093829_feeding-habits-maine-lobsters.html