Crabs breeding habits.

This first is the shell of a female crab that has got her gear off!
Upon shedding, all crabs, shrimp, lobsters, what ever, all emit a pack of hormones in the mucus they use to seperate from the old shell.
The female crabs hormones within its mucus signal the guys, shes ready, the guys shed just attract predators to a soft shell.
For a few hours after a shed the female can be fertilised, after that time, the shell is becoming hard and she can not be fertilsed, so its now or in a month or so later.
Works well, she gets protection while soft and he gets his rocks off, lol
The females shed shell


the pair mating


the male not happy with me so close


a male near by not happy he missed out