A crayfish by any other name would pinch as hard (apologies to The Bard of Avon).
1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Yesterday afternoon I watched as this Pied-billed Grebe repeatedly dived for prey before eventually coming up with a fairly small crayfish, which it almost immediately carried to the protection of some nearby reeds before tearing off and discarding its pincers and swallowing the rest.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
All the excitement had attracted the attention of a Mallard drake who approached to investigate and I believe the grebe was fearful that the Mallard would attempt to steal its prize. But as soon as the duck got this close he lost all interest.
Every time I post a photo that includes a crayfish I struggle with what to call it. There’s a bewilderingly large number of regional common names for crayfish, including but not limited to crawfish, crawdads, mudbugs, ditchbugs, swampbugs, yabbys, water dogs and many others. In one ambitious study of American linguistics, the Dictionary of American English (DARE) identified more than 40 regionally used common names for crayfish. There are over 330 species of crayfish just in North America (more than 600 in the world), which may have contributed to the confusingly large number of common names for the distinctively clawed and tasty crustacean.
There’s a reason I’ve always called them crayfish but it isn’t a good one. As a biology/zoology teacher all the textbooks and lab manuals I used over the years (in college and in my own classrooms and labs) referred to them as crayfish so that’s the term I’ve always used. But those same textbooks and manuals also made a point of calling “starfish” sea stars because starfish aren’t fish. Well, crayfish aren’t fish either so why do they use that term? Seems to me that a little consistency should be in order, especially in the scientific community.
So, what do you call crayfish? I’d be interested in knowing which common names predominate amongst my readers and I’m thinking some of you would be too. It might also be interesting to know which region (or culture or cuisine) of North America or the world might have influenced your choice of name.
Some of my readers are from Australia and New Zealand where crayfish are also commonly found so I’m particularly interested to know what names might have cropped up in that region of the world.
Ron
I was married to a Cajun fisherman who actually caught hundreds of pounds of crawfish and sold them at dock that bought fish and crawfish. These wild crawfish lived in flooded areas in the early spring. To set the trap line, one needed a boat that had metal cladding on the bottom and a brass propeller on their outboard motor. After getting the right boat, making the traps and waiting for high enough water conditions, we would ram our way through the smaller trees to produce a path for setting the traps. Then, we would go along the path and throw out a trap every so often. I helped with this only a couple times. It was quite the rush to ram your way through the saplings in the swamp but there are details I don’t remember, like what bait was put into the traps. When the dock wasn’t buying, I can remember tearing the tails off 200 pounds of crawfish and freezing them. When you hit something too substantial with the brass propeller, it could be bent back into shape. Those Cajun crawfish dishes were culinary delights. The Cajuns that only spoke French still called them ecrevisse.
That’s a really interesting comment, Pam! I hope lots of my followers come back to this post and read it.
I can’t even imagine how long it would take to tear the tails off of 200 lbs of craw(y)fish – at least the mostly smaller ones like we have around here.
Thank you for telling your stories..
Crawdads here in Northern California. I will never forget a river fishing trip, my brother and I both with bites on our lines! However after we both reeled our lines in we saw one big crawdad with a claw on each of our lines, hanging there like, well, use your imagination. We used to catch them too, however I have no idea what my brother did with them, i like to think we just let them go.
Interesting story, JK. You must have been using something delectable to crayfish for bait.
If we use the “Sea Star” rules, then would they be “Bayou Bugs” or “Mud Crays?” I generally refer to them crayfish because of the Biology textbooks. If I’m gonna eat them though, then it’s crawfish — as in crawfish boil — because my sister lives in Louisiana. 😉
“I generally refer to them crayfish because of the Biology textbooks. If I’m gonna eat them though, then it’s crawfish”
I like that distinction, Marty.
I grew up in South Australia where the local species, Cherax destructor, Parastacidae, was and is called the Yabby. It grows to 200-300 mm in length and is widely used in mricauktre. The same goes for Redclaw, C. quadricarinatus, from NE Australia. Cherax destructor is widespread and disliked by some for its habit of burrowing in dam walls. Personally, I like it quickly boiled and served with chives and sour cream and a good crisp, dry white wine. In Western Australian, the larger Marron C. tenuimanus, is Critically Endangered, but farmed as a gourmet food item. The largest species in Australia, and the World, is the Giant Freshwater Crayfish, Astacopsis gouldi, also Parastacidae, to 6 kg but 2-3 kg is the norm, from Northern Tasmania. The common names here vary and there is a myriad of them but the above are examples of those applied Down Under. Of course, our marine crayfish (sic) is another story.
All very interesting info, Gary. Thanks for providing it.
What a fun post – all the different stories and names! Yabby and crawdad are much more fun. “Crayfish” sounds like it should stay in formaldehyde.
The Grebe looks very pleased with itself! And so interesting to see the size difference between the Mallard and the grebe. I don’t see a lot of water birds, so had no idea they were so small! Thanks for all the good info.
““Crayfish” sounds like it should stay in formaldehyde.”
I absolutely loved that, Carolyn!
I call them crayfish for the same reason you do – I became a biologist and all the books and other biologists called them crayfish. Growing up in western Oregon I sometimes heard them called crayfish but more often they were called crawdads. I learned not to be concerned about calling them “fish” and starfish was also ok. I learned that if it really was a fish it would be written as two words. So, crayfish and starfish are ok as one word. Likewise, a strawberry is not a berry (in botanical terms) and Douglas-fir is not a true fir so Douglas fir is incorrect if you follow that rule. (But when has English ever stuck firmly to its rules?) I have eaten them on a couple of occasions but only when others had already done the catchinig. Unfortunately, the local crayfish I grew up with are disappearing. The larger, non-native crayfish is more aggressive and now dominates in many local waters.
“I learned that if it really was a fish it would be written as two words”
Good point, Dan. And you’re certainly right about English and “rules”.
Locally grown I called them crayfish but childhood friends called them crawdads. I have not fished for them or eaten them but in my youth my friends went with family to catch them in local reservoirs. I don’t remember anyone catching them in Farmington bay or local ponds. I am not a big fan of shrimp, crab or lobster. I ate them as a child but don’t care for the texture or flavor as an adult. I also had a similar Brad experience with a bad shrimp in college (do you remember Mullboon’s at Trolley Square?) so perhaps that has effected my palate?
Yeah, I remember Mullboons, April. Never ate there and it sounds like that was a good thing.
We have the Crawdad Festival in Isleton CA every Fathers Day for the last 35 years. I’ll take a corn dog instead!
“I’ll take a corn dog instead”
I probably would too, Diana.
They are yabbies in the parts of Australia I grew up in. In in Western Australia the Koonac, Gigly and the Marron, while Queensland has the Redclaw. As a child I used to hunt them by putting (preferably very dead) meat in a stocking and trailing it in shallow water.
And yes, those pincers hurt. Smart bird that grebe.
Thanks for satisfying my curiosity, EC. I figured you ‘down under’ folks would have some creative names for them.
The names remind me of the parable of the blind men describing an elephant. It’s a bug
It’s a fish
It’s a dog
I’d say it’s toast and lunch.
Called crawdad or crayfish from my Bay Area childhood.
That parable was one I was unaware of so you sent me to Wiki for some research, Lyle. But then when I got there I remembered being exposed to it years ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant#:~:text=The%20parable%20of%20the%20blind,the%20side%20or%20the%20tusk.
Wikipedia and other websites provide some intriguing background: “The word “crayfish” or “crawfish” actually comes from an old French word, escrevisse. The word was modified to crayfish over time, and then “crawfish” in the Southern United States. Crawdad and Mudbug are derived from these two words to give more local flavor.”
Thanks for that background, Kent.
In CA. Usually crawdads but also crayfish. Only ate them once when my kids were young and we collected them from rice fields. Brutal process so no more after that….love all those names and what an amazing number of species!
“what an amazing number of species”
Agreed, Catherine. I was surprised.
I don’t think they have to be eaten on the beach. You can transport them but they have to be dead to prevent them from being introduced into other waters. That just means they have to be packed in ice to prevent them from spoiling. Haven’t caught them for a while but they are delicious.
That’s my understanding too, Larry.
Reminds me of that old George Gershwin song – Let’s call the whole thing off – you say tomato I say tamahto – so here you say crayfish and I say crawfish.
Very interesting and educational Ron. Had absolutely not idea that there were 300 species in the US alone.
I have always been amazed at how Grebes and Goldeneyes and other ducks and water fowl can strip these of their pincers without hands.
Good post.
They’re pretty good at it “without hands”, aren’t they Everett!
Growing up in Pittsburgh, we called them crayfish. In St. Louis, I hear “crawdad” more often. Not sure why, but I laughed out loud at the photobombing Mallard. Happy New Year, Ron.
Thanks, Diane. Same to you.
It was fun to see all of those names for the critter in one place– they all
were familiar to me except “yabby”–which made me chuckle ! I’m glad the coot got to keep his prize……
” I’m glad the coot got to keep his prize”
Well, it’s a grebe and not a coot but I’m glad he got to keep it too, Kris.
Hi Ron. Happy New Year! And, to contribute to your survey, here on the Gila River in NM crayfish are called crawdads..!
Thanks for your input, Kate.
Crawdads is what we grew up with and, no, we didn’t eat them. Sister in TX reminded her then husband not to “suck crawdads” at dinner while I was present many years ago….. 😉 Have run into more people here in recent years that eat them – suspect most are “imports” from other areas of the country. 😉
Judy, in some areas of the country crayfish as food are so popular that I’ve heard that some states have regulations regarding how many can be legally harvested. And maybe even HOW they are harvested.
I just checked. Utah requires a valid fishing license for adults to harvest crayfish. No license required for those under the age of 12.
Seems funny to me BUT diets definitely do differ from place to place……
They were referred to as Crawdaddies in SE Kansas where I grew up. My family never consumed them – but we did love frog legs… 😜
Mark, I’ve never eaten crayfish or frog legs, for the reason I mentioned in my reply to Kenneth below.
Birds’ beaks are marvelous tools. Imagine trying to remove those pinchers with needle-nose pliers. We lived in New Orleans for 5 years and they were usually called crawfish, crawdads or mudbugs. Properly prepared and fresh, boiled or in crawfish pie, they were delicious. Away from the southeast they are usually frozen and tasteless.
Kenneth, some folks collect and eat them around here so they’re getting them fresh. I’ve never done so. I think it’s because I’ve spent too much time dealing with crayfish preserved in formaldehyde and other preservatives so to me they don’t seem the least bit appetizing.
But I love lobster (which isn’t much more than a large marine crayfish) when I can afford it, which is seldom. Go figure…
Lobster IS a whole different story the irony of that hasn’t been lost on me for many years now – luv lobster when finances allow…….:)
Ron, in Utah, the “crawdads” have to be eaten on the beach. We can’t haul them home. So, my brothers, kids and myself boil them up right there on the beach and chow down. I only eat the tails but my brothers do the whole sucking thing. Strawberry Reservoir is full of them and, last time we went, we caught too many. I ate too many. On the way home, they all came back out they way they went down. If I have shared this here before, my apologies. It was horrible. I am suffering writing about it. I now have crawdad PTSD. Haven’t had any since. More than happy to leave them for the fish, birds and whatever other wild animals like to dine on them.
Enjoyed your delicate description of upchucking. I did the same thing once on a delicious chicken burrito with cilantro sauce – never could even think about it again. Paid in full, no pun intended, for my greed.
I enjoyed your story, Brad. It’s my understanding that in Utah they can be taken home but they have to be killed before you leave the area where they were found.
Re: eating lobster. Lobster is on the forbidden list for people who follow the Jewish dietary laws. And Orthodox Jews keep separate dishes for meat and dairy. As you know lobster is a common delicacy in Maine. So as the Jewish joke goes: Orthodox Jews in Maine have 3 sets of dishes – meat, dairy, and lobster.
Smiling at this. My jewish father always referred to pork as four legged chicken. And ate it with relish.