From the HERE City State Desk
Invasive red swamp crayfish have turned up in southwest Michigan for the first time in Cass County, and state officials are asking people in the Niles area to watch for more.
Two crayfish carcasses were found in a private pond near the city of Niles by the SW x SW Corner Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area during a snorkel survey for invasive aquatic plants in mid-September. Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff confirmed the identification, and the agency announced the find Wednesday.
The crayfish are native to the southern U.S. and are popular for crawfish boils. They have been prohibited in Michigan since 2014 because they reproduce quickly and outcompete native crayfish, amphibians, invertebrates and young fish. They can destroy aquatic plants that help keep water clear, and their burrowing can weaken shorelines.
Michigan first detected the species in 2017. Isolated infestations have since been confirmed in Kalamazoo, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Van Buren and Wayne counties, likely from released aquarium pets, live bait or crayfish brought in for boils.
Residents in Berrien and Cass counties should look for crayfish 2 to 6 inches long, brown to red, with raised red bumps. A DNR fisheries biologist said anyone who finds one can keep it in a bucket or freezer or send close-up photos to the agency.