Periwinkles are common beach finds here in Nova Scotia. The ones above were collected and photographed yesterday on a piece of driftwood at Silver Sands Beach. The majority are a soft light brown color that might best be described as ’periwinkle tan.’
A non-native species, periwinkles are herbivores that can be found on mud flats at low tide or clinging to rocks, seaweeds and piers. They eat algae, plankton and sea lettuce. Using a rasp-like tongue, they slowly wear down any hard surface beneath the food they are consuming, and in so doing, contribute to the erosion of rocks on the seashore.
Periwinkles are eaten by crabs. They’re not on the menu of most humans here in North America but are popular fare in Europe.
May 13, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I also like to photograph seashells, but mine are from the Florida gulf coast.