OCEAN VIEW, Del.- Hundreds of volunteers will soon sign on as "citizen scientists" and help the Delaware Center for Inland Bays count and tag horseshoe crabs.

Every year, these volunteers are needed for a survey that will help scientists better understand the living fossils. By counting and tagging horseshoe crabs, the Center for Inland Bays can determine how many live nearby and learn more about their migration patterns.

In May and June, teams of volunteers will go out in shifts at all hours of the night two days before, the day of and two days after each full and new moon cycle, according to organizers.

"They're putting out quadrants, so it's PVC set out in a one-meter square, and they're counting how many horseshoe crabs are in each quadrant," Outreach & Education Coordinator Amy Barra said. "They do about 100-meters or so of beach."

To participate in the survey, call the Center for Inland Bays at 302-226-8105 and ask for Project Manager Victoria Spice.