Spiny lobsters are nocturnal, which means they come out mainly at night. During the day they hide under coral ledges and inside rocky crevices, just their long antennae sticking out to sense what is happening outside. Those antennae can be twice as long as the lobster's body and are covered in tiny sensors that detect vibrations and chemicals in the water.
One of the most spectacular things spiny lobsters do is migrate. Each autumn, when the sea conditions change, hundreds of spiny lobsters line up in long single-file queues along the sea floor and march together across the sand for many kilometres. Each lobster rests its front legs on the back of the one ahead, forming a living chain. Scientists are still figuring out exactly how they know when to go and which direction to march.
Spiny lobsters are important to the ecosystem of the reef. They are scavengers, eating dead plants and animals on the sea floor, which helps keep the reef clean and healthy. They also provide food for larger reef predators — nurse sharks, large moray eels, and octopuses all hunt them.
Fishing for spiny lobster is an important part of life on Saint Kitts and Nevis. Local fishermen catch them sustainably, and grilled or stewed lobster appears on menus all over both islands. The fishing season is carefully managed so there are always enough lobsters to keep the population healthy on the reefs.