CRAWFISH CONTROL

   This article is about CRAWFISH control.
It will explain why they are a pest and what
needs to be done for controlling infestations.
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   The following article will explain some basic
biology of the crawfish, describe  how  to
treat infestations and then list the products
which are needed for the treatment. To see
the products, simply click your mouse cursor
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   Crawfish, also known as crayfish, freshwater lobster,
freshwater crab, crawdad and several other names depending
on where you are in the United States, have become 
a major nuisance in certain regions of the country.
There are over 300 species in our country and several
which are raised specifically to be eaten! However,
as people have relocated populations into streams,
rivers, ponds and lakes, problems have arisen. This
article will explain why crawfish can become a problem
and then offer control measures to help reduce damage 
and populations which are too large.
   Crawfish are natural food for many animals including
snakes, mink, otter, racoon, birds and many species of
fish. Property owners will plant crawfish in ponds and
lakes in an attempt to feed their private fish stock.
Given the chance, these initial populations will bloom
uncontrollably which can actually reduce fish breeding
as well as lead to damage of important lake shore.
   Crawfish cause damage two ways. First, they eat a lot.
They love fish eggs and fry and seek such food supplies 
when available. Their tenacious diet will prevent local
fish populations from developing properly. Be careful 
when trying to use crawfish as a main food supply hoping
to feed fish which will grow unusually large because of 
the abundance of crawfish. In the end, a large population
of crawfish may lead to decreasing the amount of fish you
are trying so hard to grow! The second way crawfish cause
problems is with their burrowing. This can occur two ways.
Initially, most species will burrow out of the water
shore and emerge a few feet up on dry land. Their burrows
serve as a way they can retreat from the water as well
as provide shelter. This happens all the time where crawfish
are present; most of this is never noticed by land owners.
However, as populations of crawfish increase, their 
burrowing will reach further and further out into turf
areas. Overcrowding will cause them to leave the water,
walk out past existing burrows and dig new ones further
and further away from water. This digging will occur
mostly at night and generally leads to turf damage in 
two ways. First, crawfish will be killing plants and
shrubs as they dig. Additionally, their burrows are 
unsightly. Some people refer to them as "chimneys" or
"crawfish castles", but whatever you want to call them,
they are not attractive in the yard. The second type of
damage which stems from these burrows is caused from
predatory animals which will begin to dig looking for 
this easy food source. Racoon, skunk and armadillo will
regularly dig into turf causing even more of a mess as
well as additional damage. If you are having problems
with racoon, armadillo or other animals digging in the
yard, be sure to review our article which details how
to stop this problem. Remember, humans are not the only animal
which enjoy a crawfish meal! If left to breed as they want,
crawfish will rapidly multiply leading to populations 
which local conditions may not be able to sustain. To 
keep these numbers in check, there are two things you can
do.
   First, watch local populations and see if they are
growing too quickly. If you observe populations in the
water expanding too quickly, you may need to thin them
by trapping. Traps offer an easy way to both catch and
monitor local populations. Simply bait them with 
anything like chicken or dead fish and crawfish will
readily enter. SMALL METAL CRAWFISH TRAPS are fine for
small populations and hold 25 or more. These are light
and easy to manage. LARGE METAL CRAWFISH TRAPS are
better suited for when there is a big population
and though these are light, you can only carry a few
at one time because they are large. WOODEN CRAWFISH
TRAPS are made the old fashioned way and though they
work good, these are heavy and large. All three do a
good job of catching crawfish and should be set just
offshore, under 2-6 feet of water. Set them out
and check every day or two. Remove unwanted crawfish
as needed. Trapping out large populations before they
begin to relocate is easy and efficient; keeping their
numbers in check is natural and serves to help the
ecosystem in and around the water. If you have a lot of 
water to monitor or need to remove a lot of crayfish
rapidly, use the CRAYFISH NET TRAPS. These are relatively
inexpensive and very effective at catching a lot of
crayfish quickly. Set them out along shore lines with
twine leads for quick removal. Crayfish which are feeding
when you pull up the trap will be caught.
   If you have populations which have grown too large
and you need quick control of crawfish which are living
in burrows, you can treat them with ORTHENE WP. This
wettable powder acts quickly and will control populations
which have moved out of the water and into your turf,
flower beds or other areas where you don't want them
destroying plant life. Treating is easy. Simply sprinkle
a tablespoon down each burrow, cover with dirt and you
are done. Do not treat closer than 10 feet of the water
shore. Orthene is not intended for use in water although
it is labeled for many turf pests. If you keep your applications
more than 10 feet away, the risk of the material relocating
is minimal.
   Crawfish are a vital food for both fish and animals. If
left unchecked, local populations can grow out of hand.
Thin, if necessary, with crawfish traps. If you have a large
amount of burrows which are causing damage, use Orthene WP
to treat. Continue to watch them carefully and take
appropriate action as needed to insure a healthy balance
of wildlife in and around your pond, lake or stream. 

    If you have any questions about crawfish or 
any other pest control problem, please give us a call.
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