Don't be alarmed if you come across what looks like a dead horseshoe crab - or 10 - on the beach in the coming weeks.

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries has been receiving reports from concerned citizens about an unusual number of dead crabs on the beaches. Pictures from areas like Falmouth, Weymouth and Nahant show them piled among seaweed and other beach debris. But fear not - these aren't dead crabs, but piles of their cast-off exoskeletons.

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Horseshoe crabs will shed their shells as they grow, multiple times a year for the first three years of life, then once a year until they're about 9 to 11 years old. Late summer to early fall is peak molting season.

Experts say you can tell the difference betwee

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