Nature Notebook

It crawls out of the swamp at night and scuttles over the mud searching for unsuspecting victims! Beware its dangerous pinching claws!

No, it is not the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It is the Devil Crayfish.

Rather than inhabit streams and rivers, the devil crayfish species burrow into the muddy soils of the wetlands. The results of their excavations are tall mounds of mud called crayfish chimneys or crayfish castles.

The burrows are deep enough to reach groundwater. The crayfish gills, located under their abdomens, extract oxygen from this water. The burrows are also deep enough for the crayfish to avoid freezing winter temperatures. Biologists believe that they become much less active in winter but don’t truly hibernate.

During warmer months the crayfish emerge from their burrows at night to hunt for food. As opportunistic omnivores they eat whatever they can find including aquatic plants, small invertebrates and freshly deceased animals.

Come out for Sarett’s Spooky Halloween celebration for all ages as you take a stroll through the trails and visit some spooky crafts, a hayride, game stations, and other fun activities this Saturday, Oct. 28 from 4 – 9 p.m.! Tickets should be purchased in advance to participate in this Halloween event; $6/person age 2 and older. Tickets are sold online through www.sarett.org.