Rusty Crayfish

Orconectes rusticus

Current Distribution

Background

• Originated in the Ohio River Basin, Kentucky and Ohio.

• Introduced to Wisconsin in the early 1960’s.

• Spread through use as fishing bait, educational purposes, pets.

• Inhabit lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers.

• One female possessing sperm and eggs start a population.

Typical Decapoda(order) Life Cycle

Egg bearing Female

Male and Female

Arrow points to the gonopod legs on a male.Seminal receptacle found on females.

Negative environmental impacts

• Displace native crayfish species. - Food consumption

- Disrupt reproduction cycle

- Destruction of ecosystem

- High growth rate

Native Orconectes obscurus

Negative Economic impacts

• Reduction of sporting species

• Decreased recreation usability

• Aquatic maintenance costs

Sparkling Lake, Wisconsin

Sparkling Lake, Wisconsin

Control Methods

• Chemical control methods

• Seasonal Harvest

• Combination fishing restriction and trapping

• Don’t introduce in the first place

Typical Traps

Prevention• Education of the threats

• Mandatory washing and cleaning of equipment.

• Check points

• Implementation of laws

- PA law makes its illegal for anglers to posses, aquarists to raise, and bait

dealers or pet traders to sell O. rusticus.

Identifying characteristics

Don’t Use Me For Bait!