The Sanibel six are the six most common shells you will find when shelling on Sanibel Island and Captiva Island. When you are hunting for shells on any of the many beaches such as Bowman’s Beach, Turner Beach, The Lighthouse Beach Park or Blind Pass Beach, you are likely to find at least one, if not all six of these beautiful treasures. Make sure you have your shelling tools at hand and. Remember to never take live shells in accordance with the Florida shelling laws.
The Sanibel Six
The Lighting Whelk
Lightning Whelks are known as the “left-handed” shell as they spiral counterclockwise. They are an off-tan or grey in color and have little lightning streaks defining them. They are fairly common to find on Sanibel and can be found in shallow waters. They house carnivorous snails who like to eat oysters and clams.
Florida Fighting Conch
A common shell to find, the Florida Fighting Conch can grow up to 4 inches and, they have thick, hard shells which hurt to step on! They are called fighters because if you happen upon a live conch, it will try and cut you by swiping you from a little hatch cover attached to their foot! Another great reason never to take live shells from the beach!
Lace Murex
The Lace Murex are a collector’s dream but are fairly hard to find complete. Young shells are more of an orange-pink color while the more mature shells are cream.
Alphabet Cone
The Alphabet Cone is a great-looking shell however, the little snail it houses is truly a little rascal! They have a very specific hunting method and have a special tooth modified to harpoon their prey which is venomous and will paralyze their prey! If you stumble across a live one, be cautious, again, a great reason to never take live shells!
Lettered Olive
The Lettered Olive is a beautiful, shiny shell that can be located near the sandy bottoms of the passes and shoals of the beaches so, Blind Pass may be a good spot to find these. Though in stores they may look professionally polished, their shine is actually natural! The way the snail moves and protects the shell acts as a constant buffering service!
Banded Tulip
Hard to find and home to a predatory snail, the Banded Tulip has 7 distinctive lines around its body. They are fairly small and rarely grow over 4 inches.
