Invasive Red Swamp Crayfish Found in Michigan

Usually, when an invasive plant or insect winds up in Michigan, it gets here because someone transported it or it arrived in a shipping container.. This time, it appears to have moved north from the South.

The Red Swamp Crayfish

Red swamp crayfish are a large, aggressive freshwater crustacean native to the south-central U.S. and northern Mexico. Red swamp crayfish are also a popular delicacy. in Louisiana, where they’re a staple on the menu.

Red swamp crayfish can grow anywhere from 2 to 6 inches long. Their bodies are covered in raised bumps that can range from bright red to black. They’re also incredibly adaptable, able to survive in low-oxygen water, extreme temperatures, dry conditions, and even slightly brackish water.

When red swamp crayfish move into northern parts of the United States, they can become a destructive invasive species. They can outcompete native crayfish and other species, damage aquatic vegetation, and even carry crayfish plague, a fungal disease that can threaten native crayfish populations.

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In Michigan, it’s illegal to possess or release live red swamp crayfish.

New Red Swamp Crayfish Threat Emerges in Michigan

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says red swamp crayfish have been found in southwest Michigan’s Cass County. Two crayfish carcasses were discovered in a private pond near Niles.

This isn’t the first time red swamp crayfish have turned up in Michigan. They were found in Kalamazoo’s Sunset Lake back in 2017, and other isolated infestations have since been confirmed in Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Van Buren and Wayne counties.

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If you ever find a red swamp crayfish, try to catch it, bag it and place it in the freezer. Then record the location, date and time of the sighting then report it to the DNR Fisheries Division at 734-780-5571.

👇BELOW: Plants & Insects You Should Destroy if You Spot Them in Michigan👇