The Scotch Bonnet is considered, by many, to be the holy grail of beachcombing finds in North Carolina. This little three-inch long, plaid checkered sea snail shell is quite a difficult find. Oddly enough, the Scotch Bonnet was deemed the official state shell of North Carolina in 1965. You might think it was easier to find them in the past. Not the case!
The hotspot for these guys is from Cape Hatteras south to Cape Lookout. The shoreline at these locations is mostly south-facing beach with gentle sloping nearshore. Scotch Bonnets can certainly be delicate. When you begin hunting for your first Bonnet, you’ll likely start by finding many pieces of the shell. Specifically, the thickened outer lip survives the crashing waves most often.
Scotch Bonnets are marine gastropods (sea snails) that feed on sand dollars and tiny urchins. When I beachcomb for Bonnets in Ocracoke, it is not uncommon to find both sand dollars and keyhole urchins nearby. My first Bonnet was found a few years ago. Since then, I’ve keyed in on a few variables and gotten lucky about half a dozen times in various locations.
Enjoy the hunt, folks!
Lens: Nikkor 60mm micro f2.8 @ 60mm
Tripod: Really Right Stuff TVC-33
Date taken: February 22, 2021
Settings: f14, 1/13 second, iso-31
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