Common Whelk

Length: 8cm
The Common Whelk is very commonly seen on both rocky and sandy beaches. It is usually found on the lower shore. You can buy whelks to eat.

Dog Whelk

Length: 3cm
Whelks are gastropods - they have a muscular foot attached to them inside their shell that clings to rocks or seaweed. Dog Whelks are common. Those that feed on barnacles become white, while those that feed on mussels become black.

Common Limpet

Length: 7cm
Limpets are gastropods, like whelks. They clamp themselves to rocks with their muscular foot. During the night, Common Limpets feed on seaweed at low tide. They are often seen on rocky shores.

Common Mussel

Length: 1-10cm
Common Mussels are blue or brown and found on rocky shores and in estuaries. They attach themselves to rocks by thin threads. People collect this kind of mussel to eat.

Common Periwinkle

Length: 2.5cm
Look for the Common Periwinkle close to the sea on all kinds of shores. It feeds on seaweed.

Razor Shell

Length: 15cm
Razor shells look like old-fashioned razor blades. The creature inside lives buried in sand or mud, often as deep as 1m. The two shells are hinged at one end.

Heart Cockle

Width: 9.5cm
If you look at the side of this shell, you will see a heart shape, which is how it got its name. It lives in muddy sand below the low tide level, but may be washed ashore.

Queen Scallop

Width: Up to 9cm
Scallops move around by clapping thier two shells together, forcing water out behind them to jet themselves along. There are several hundred species of scallop,of which the Queen Scallop is one.