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david isley
Guest
david isley
12 years ago

amazing!
as a kid in the 1960’s i would never have imagined seeing one of those anywhere in humboldt but i guess the spring and summer weather would make it possible.
they used to ne all over the central valley and delta system in tuolumne,stanislaus and san joaquin but only a few mutants have survived.
kym, glad i was guided to your site-WONDERFUL photos and tidbits of info.
i thoroughly enjoy your posts.

James Stutsman
Guest
James Stutsman
12 years ago
Reply to  david isley

I DID SEE THEM ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO IN WOOLEY CREEK DEEP IN THE MARBLE MOUNTAINS…..

James Stutsman
Guest
James Stutsman
12 years ago

“IT WAS A ROCK – LOBSTER!!!!! ….ROCK LOBSTER!!! ”

🙂

Staff
Member
12 years ago

David, thank you very much. It’s been a bleak couple of days where I’m wondering whether what I’m giving up to write the blog and other pieces is worth it. Kind words like yours help.

James, My dad used to see them in Trinity County a lot not that long ago.

Kyle
Guest
Kyle
12 years ago

Kym,

I don’t think that one is a native. It looks like the species introduced from the south east part of the U.S. I’m not 100% certain about that though. I know when I did the juvenile salmonid surveys on Lower Salmon Creek in 2002/2003 I was seeing a very small olive one that is supposed to be native.It’s claws were teensy and it was lightning fast. The one you have there looks like the start of a gumbo soup. How about I grow the Okra this summer and you throw down some crawdads and we’ll make a party out of it!

Kyle

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Kyle

We’d better find more than this one and its friend.

Ben Schill
Guest
Ben Schill
12 years ago

When I first came here (40 years ago yesterday!) I often saw them in the South Fork. Things have changed dramatically in the river and I have not seen them in a long time. The ones I saw were red as were the ones we used to catch and eat on the Umpqua in Oregon.

Don
Guest
Don
6 years ago
Reply to  Ben Schill

Today I was in the Humboldt Creek and I found six crawdads they look rather good but after reading your guyses post I caught them going to eat them but after reading your guyses close I released him back. Hopefully you all get a chance to see them too

tom MORELAND
Guest
tom MORELAND
12 years ago

We wont tell cecil

Harry
Guest
Harry
12 years ago

Pacifastacus is the genus of our native species? When I was operating downstream migrant traps in South Fork Eel tributaries I often caught them. Otters love to eat them.

Lodgepole
Guest
Lodgepole
12 years ago

I’ve seen them in ponds around the Mateel watersheds years ago. There are tons of them in the headwaters of the South Fork of the Trinity by Forest Glen, Hell’s Gate[Hell Gate?] campground. Every one I’ve seen was red, but I think their color is dependent on their diet.

Cinnamon
Guest
12 years ago

I had fish and game at my property a couple of years ago. When we saw one in Redwood Creek, they told me they were not native and not good companions to native fish species.

glee
Guest
glee
12 years ago

When I was in Salmon Creek many years ago, over 30, my son claimed he saw a crayfish. I thought he was imagining things, but I wasn’t sure. Now I am pretty sure he was right. He is 40 now. Should I tell him?

Mr. Nice
Guest
Mr. Nice
12 years ago

That picture is Orconectes virilis. Them things are about as native as pampas grass, starlings, and Argentinian ants.

Folks seeing them 30 or 40 years ago is not out of the question as they were introduced as live bait 50 years ago. They were invasive then, they are invasive now.

Staff
Member
12 years ago
Reply to  Mr. Nice

They didn’t seem nocturnal which the virilis is supposed to be but maybe they were having a day out on the beach.

Mr. Nice
Guest
Mr. Nice
12 years ago

They didn’t seem nocturnal which the virilis is supposed to be but maybe they were having a day out on the beach.

Can’t tell species apart with diurnal vs. nocturnal.

They do seasonal phase-inversion for food. They are about to go nocturnal, give them a month.

Tommas Mortensen
Guest
Tommas Mortensen
3 years ago

Mr nice…
Thank you. For that info.
VERY HELPFUL.