After the heavy rains last night, my walkway is covered in these dead, pinkish-orange creatures. They look like tiny cooked shrimp or curled-up worms. I’m nowhere near the ocean. What is this thing?

 

After a night of heavy rains, you might wake up to find your walkway littered with strange, pinkish-orange creatures that resemble tiny cooked shrimp. This sight can be quite puzzling, especially if you live far from the coast and are certain these critters have no business being there. The phenomenon of finding these peculiar creatures sprawled across your yard is not uncommon and can be explained by a closer look into their origins and habits.

While the appearance of these creatures may initially cause concern, the reality is they are relatively harmless. Known commonly as ‘lawn shrimp’ or terrestrial amphipods, these small crustaceans emerge during wet weather, only to be caught off-guard by the sudden dryness that follows. Understanding why these creatures appear and how to deal with them can help alleviate the confusion and concern they cause.

1. Meet the “Lawn Shrimp”: The Tiny Creatures On Your Walkway