Chinese mitten crabs are invading the UK
It’s not just bed bugs! Chinese mitten crabs are also invading the UK – they are the size of dinner plates and nip anyone who get too close
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As Britain deals with a potential bed bug outbreak, evidence of another foreign invasion – Chinese mitten crabs – has been spotted.
The crustaceans were seen at waterways in Cambridgeshire, including a dyke in Whittlesea and Nene Park in Peterborough.
Passer-by Stuart Selby, who saw one crossing a busy road in Peterborough described the sight as ‘bizarre’.
The crabs erode riverbanks by burrowing into them. They also affect the fishing industry by feeding on fish stocks and damaging nets.
They are among 30 species of non-native species listed as a concern due to its ‘invasiveness and the ability to establish in several nations across Europe’.
Since 2016 they have been classed as being ‘widely spread’ across the UK.
The crustaceans were seen at waterways in Cambridgeshire, including a dyke in Whittlesea (pictured)
As Britain deals with a potential bed bug outbreak, evidence of another foreign invasion – Chinese mitten crabs – has been spotted
The species – named after its furry claws – is thought to have travelled from the estuaries of eastern China to Europe and north America in the sediment found on the bottom of ships ballast tanks. Pictured: Crabs filmed at Kings Dyke in Whittlesey
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the species became established in the Thames in London in 1973 and had spread further afield since then.
The species – named after its furry claws – is thought to have travelled from the estuaries of eastern China to Europe and north America in the sediment found on the bottom of ships ballast tanks.
READ MORE: Invading Chinese delicacy crabs ‘should be eaten’ to stop them damaging British riverbanks
The Natural History museum has said that the invasive crabs could grow to the size of dinner plates.
There have been several sightings of mitten crabs across Britain, including a royal park in London.
The Nene Park Trust said that they were made aware of sightings of the crabs around Orton Water, which is surrounded by Orton Meadows golf course and Ferry Meadows in Peterborough.
A man was walking his dog in Bushy Park, Richmond, in London – known for its deer population – when he saw a crab last Friday.
Andy Litchfield was strolling around the royal park when he came across the crab. He says he has seen the before, but ‘never on land,’ he told the Woking News and Mail.
‘I was walking my Labrador in Bushy Park on Friday morning when he stopped to sniff something on the ground, and I was surprised to see that it was a crab,’ he told the outlet.
He said he has caught them a couple of times whilst fishing. He took a video of his encounter which saw the crab get defensive and put its claws in the air.
The Nene Park Trust said there was not much action they could take, as ‘they are spreading naturally through UK waterways’.
Since 2016 they have been classed as being ‘widely spread’ across the UK
They are among 30 species of non-native species listed as a concern due to its ‘invasiveness and the ability to establish in several nations across Europe’. Pictured: Crabs filmed at Kings Dyke in Whittlesey
A spokesperson said: ‘They don’t pose any threat to people or dogs but may give a nip if anything gets too close, so we would advise visitors to keep their distance.’
Defra said that it had recieved reports of the crab on the Cambridgeshire Fens and they encouraged people to report sightings to stop the movement of their eggs and urged people to take photos.
A spokesperson told the BBC: ‘The species was considered to be established in the Thames in 1973 and since then it has been found in other riverine systems within the UK.
‘In the UK, there is no legal fishery for the species; if a Chinese mitten crab is caught as a by-catch, they cannot be sold live for human consumption.’
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