While coastal lobsters are famous all over, their downsized relative, the crawdad, lives in obscurity right here in Midwestern waters.
Crawdads are our largest crustaceans, easily recognized by their beady eyes, long antennae and those large pincers that sometimes pack a powerful pinch. Crawdads, also called crayfish, are invertebrates with a hard exterior or shell.
In spring, the female crayfish lays one hundred or more eggs, and attaches them to the underside of her tail. The eggs hatch in about a month, and the young continue to travel with mom for another week before striking out on their own. Although some crayfish live to be six years old, a female will only produce one brood of young in her life.
Crawdads are not fussy eaters; they consume decayed plants and dead fish. Many animals depend on crayfish for food–from raccoons, mink and otters to many species of fish and wading birds. If you’ve ever tried to catch crayfish, you know their defense techniques. Either they make a rapid retreat or they use their pincers. To move quickly, a crayfish swims backward, flipping its tail up and down.
When you go canoeing or visit a pond, see if you can spot one of our little Midwestern lobsters.
See the crawdad navigate through the Missouri waters in the video below.
Recipe: Crawdad Pilaf
If you’re a fan of seafood, then you’ll love this crawdad pilaf. Make it with wild-caught crawdads.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1/2 cup stuffed olives, sliced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 3 cups cooked crawfish meat
- 4 T. flour
- 2 cups milk
- 3 T. melted butter
Method: Combine rice, olives, onion, green pepper, crayfish meat and most of the grated cheese together in a well-greased casserole. Make a medium white sauce of flour, butter and milk, and season to taste. Pour over casserole and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until top is brown. Serves 6.
Find out more about crawdads/crayfish with the MDC’s Field Guide.
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