1. Rusty Crayfish
Orconectes rusticus

2. Current Distribution

3. 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.

4. Typical Decapoda(order) Life Cycle

5. Egg bearing Female

6. Seminal receptacle found on females.
Male and Female
Arrow points to the gonopod legs on a male.
Seminal receptacle found on females.

7. Negative environmental impacts
Displace native crayfish species.
Food consumption
Disrupt reproduction cycle
Destruction of ecosystem
High growth rate
Native Orconectes obscurus

8. Negative Economic impacts
Reduction of sporting species
Decreased recreation usability
Aquatic maintenance costs

9. Sparkling Lake, Wisconsin

10. Sparkling Lake, Wisconsin

11. Control Methods Chemical control methods Seasonal Harvest
Combination fishing restriction and trapping
Don’t introduce in the first place

12. Typical Traps

13. 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.

15. Identifying characteristics

16. Don’t Use Me For Bait!