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Rare Orange Lobster Mama Welcomes 100 Tiny, Colorful Newborns

Rare Orange Lobster Mama Welcomes 100 Tiny, Colorful Newborns At the University of New England (UNE) in Maine, there’s a new wave of tiny residents making a splash—baby lobsters! And…

Orange lobster

Rare Orange Lobster Mama Welcomes 100 Tiny, Colorful Newborns

At the University of New England (UNE) in Maine, there's a new wave of tiny residents making a splash—baby lobsters! And not just any lobsters. We’re talking about the offspring of Peaches, a rare, orange-hued lobster who’s become quite the campus celebrity.

Orange Lobster Peaches isn’t just your run-of-the-mill lobster.

She's a one-in-30-million rarity, sporting a vibrant orange shell that makes her stand out in a sea of brown and blue. Last year, she was brought to UNE, and now, she’s the proud mom of 100 baby lobsters. Yes, 100! And guess what? Some of these little guys share their mom's unusual coloring.

The university is abuzz with excitement as students and faculty study Peaches and her pint-sized progeny. The big question they’re trying to answer: What’s behind this funky orange lobster coloration? Is it genetics, diet, or just some cosmic lobster lottery?

But Peaches isn’t the only lobster mama at UNE. Norma, a more traditionally colored lobster, also recently became a mom, hatching 40 babies of her own. And if that’s not enough, there’s another orange lobster named Pineapple, who’s currently expecting.

Her babies are due to hatch in the spring, so stay tuned for even more tiny claws running around.

UNE’s Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center is now home to these 140 baby lobsters, each no bigger than a thumbtack. The little critters are already busy molting and growing, much to the delight of the researchers.

One of those researchers, Ruby Motulsky, a marine sciences undergrad, is diving deep into this lobster mystery. Ruby, with a keen eye and a $5,000 research grant, is on a mission to figure out how many of Peaches’ babies will keep that orange flair.

It’s part of a larger effort led by Professor Markus Frederich to crack the code on why some lobsters look like they’ve been dipped in paint.

UNE is no stranger to rare lobsters. Over the years, the university has become a lobster haven, housing a colorful collection that would make any seafood lover's jaw drop—blue, yellow, split-colored, purple, and more.

Each one rarer than the last.

So, what’s next for these orange lobster babies? Only time, and a lot of research will tell.

But one thing’s for sure—UNE is the place to be if you’re a lobster with a flair for the different.

YOU voted, here are the BEST lobster rolls in New England

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, we are all getting ready for beaches, clam bakes and LOBSTER. LOBSTER ROLLS to be exact.

In my opinion, we live in the best area in the WORLD for fresh seafood. No matter how you like your lobster roll (cold with mayonnaise or warm with drawn butter) there are DOZENS if not HUNDREDS of places in New England where you can get a delicious lobster roll that will melt in your mouth.

We put up a poll on the Facebook page asking for YOUR picks for New England's best lobster rolls. You flooded our page with a variety of places and locations.

Here are the restaurants and eateries YOU CHOSE as the places that serve THE BEST lobster rolls in New England.

Tony’s Clam in Quincy

JP’s in Westboro

Fresco's Roast Beef & Seafood in Malden

Cape Cod Lobster Rolls in Onset

Belle Isles Winthrop

The Beach Plum Portsmouth

Cousin’s Maine Lobster in Mendon

Macray’s Seafood, Tiveton, RI

Quahog Republic multiple locations

Maguire's Bar and Grill in Easton

Clam box in Brookfield

Conrad’s in Lunenburg

Sesuit Harbor Café in Dennis

All American Tavern in Salisbury

Doyle's in Brockton

Rosewood Restaurant in Bellingham

Ipswich clam bake in Ipswich ma

The Raw Bar Mashpee

Tuckaway Tavern in Raymond NH

Bull N Claw in Maine

Chad's Chowder House in Somerset

Harry's Restaurant in Westboro

Lauren Beckham Falcone is the co-host of Bob & LBF in the Morning. Formerly an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Boston Herald, she credits her current success as a pop culture commentator to watching too much TV as a kid and scouring the internet too much as an adult. LBF is a regular contributor to NECN and is an honorary board member at the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress. Lauren lives in Canton with her husband Dave and her daughter Lucy. Lauren writes about trending topics, New England destinations, and seasonal DIY.