How to Identify a Butter Clam

Butter clams are common bivalve mollusks found along the Pacific Northwest coast of the United States and Canada. They are commonly harvested for food and other commercial reasons. Learn to identify butter clams so you can harvest and eat them.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look at the size and shape of the shell. Butter clams average about 10 cm in length and range from 4 to 6 cm in height. They have oval or oblong shells.

    • 2

      Notice the coloring on the shell. Butter clams have a shell with a white, buttery color that can appear chalky or gray. There are often black stains caused by metals in the mud.

    • 3

      Observe the texture of the butter clam shell. The shells look thick and heavy in appearance. They are hinged tightly together and have raised growth rings that outline the span of the shell.

    • 4

      Examine where the two shells meet. The two butter clam shells fuse tightly together in a pattern that resembles tiny grooves and interlocked teeth.