How to Tell the Difference: Channel Whelk and Knobby Whelk Seashells

I’ve been collecting  seashells for over 40+ years and love them! They’re my treasures that I’ve personally collected while visiting different beaches all over the world. I currently have over 200+ specimens in my collection and thousands more that I craft with.

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A lot of people get the names of specific shells mixed up. For example…a Whelk may resemble a Conch Shell but it’s different although a lot of people who find they laying around on a beach call them a Conch.

Today I wanted to show you the difference between two commonly found type’s of Whelk Shells…the Channel Whelk and a Knobby Whelk. Both of the shells shown in my photograph were found while I was on vacation in North Wildwood, New Jersey.

The shell shown on the left in the photo is a Channel Whelk. If you look closely at it you’ll see the deep channels that go around its whorl. There are no knobs sticking out. If you look at the two Knobby Whelks on the right in the photo you’ll see knobs that run along side all of the spirals/whorls on the top. If you look at the photo below you can really see the difference.

When looking for seashells to add to your collection its important that you ONLY take shells that have been vacated or contain a deceased animal. If the animal is still alive…please put it back!!! Our oceans are a precious eco-system that needs to be treasured & protected.

Next…rinse the sand from all shells while you’re still on the beach. After you leave the beach you need to thoroughly rinse them with fresh tap water until they’re clean. Remove all sand and debris. Take them outside to dry in the sunshine until thoroughly dry. If needed, you can use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to help scrub them up during the cleaning process. Once dry I recommend preserving them by spraying a light coat of clear acrylic spray sealer on all sides of the shell and let them air dry. Especially if you’re going to be using them as home decor or displaying them outside.

If you’re looking for a great seashell identification guide book I personally use and recommend the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Seashells. You can check out my previous post for an extensive review on that guide book.

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