Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Prairie Crayfish

The Prairie Crayfish (Procambarus gracilis) is one of 8 species of crayfish in Iowa.  It's the only one that lives in grasslands or prairies.  What makes this crayfish so spectacular to me is that it digs burrows for itself in the prairie away from water.  The burrows can be 1.5 to 2m deep.  They have a vertical shaft down until the burrow hits the water level where it becomes enlarged and filled with water.  The burrows are marked with mounds. The amazing thing about this crayfish is the amount of deep clay soil particles it moves to the top of the burrow where they can be eroded which plays a big role in the health of ecosystems!  The prairie crayfish can live 3-4 years.
Here is a Prairie Crayfish mound! See if you can find one on your next adventure.  Prairie Crayfish are most active in June.

71 comments:

  1. OMG!!!!!!!! I saw one of these like um..............????? Last teusday!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!

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  2. OMG I SAY IT TODAY. I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE..... WHO IS FRICKIN DELUSIONAL

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  3. i looking at it right now!!!!

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  4. ok not sure yet i am studying this now but if it is real THIS IS SOOOO COOOOL

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  5. dumb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  6. This Is not real. Real This is fake. Look up tree octopus and go to links. NOT TRUE.

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    Replies
    1. yeah we did this at school! We were looking for reliable resources

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  7. this is just a colored crawdad! This could even be scorpion.

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  8. tis not real. no way.

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  9. haha im doing research for english this is too funny

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  10. OMG I SAW THIS LIKE............... 50 YEARS AGO! so cool people ar e reconizing this!!!!!!

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  11. I saw this on July 34, 2046! It is the most majestic animal just beating out the Unicorn!

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  12. and danny boy your a bitch a cunt and a mother fucker its fake bitch

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  13. THIS IS FAKE LIKE THE REST OF YOUR WEBSITES

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  14. i have a farm of prairie crayfish and they are good to eat and cost alot like $200 per pound

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  15. i have like five there 200 hundred a pound

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  16. Hey guys... the Prairie Crayfish is real!!!

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  17. FakeFakeFakeFakeFakeFakeFakeFakeFakeFake

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  22. hi as a vewied i sudgr you et sum help

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  23. fake F A K E !!!!!!!!!!

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  24. yo this is so fake

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  25. who is the author or where did he get this info.

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  26. a most delicious delicacy in North-South Zimbabwe.

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