If you have been looking on the beach, lifted up a rock and spotted small creatures resembling a shrimp like shape and moving around on their sides. These are probably Sandhoppers.
Normally located between the upper and lower tide marks under rocks and in seaweed.
Sandhoppers or “Amphipods” tend to move on their sides rather than hop with a sprung tail, but when they do can reach a good distance. Usually when disturbed.
The two main types found are “Gammaridae” and “Talitridae“.
Living off rotting Seaweed to help keep the beaches clean the Sandhoppers are a great source of food for birds.
Have you spotted any whilst at the beach?
Sparrowhawk Bushcraft 