How often do females mate?
Females are only able to mate immediately after a molt, or when the crab sheds its smaller shell, while their shells (exoskeletons) are soft. Female molting and mating occurs in the fall (mostly September through November). Females retain the sperm received during the fall mating season for up to a year, or until the next season’s molt. Sperm is stored in two sacs over the winter and used during the following spring and summer spawning season to fertilize the eggs of each sponge.
