I had a great time on this farm as a kid. Fishing in the pond; riding mini-bikes; and just being a kid in general. I remember the lighting bugs in the evenings and seining for crawdads (crayfish) to use as bait for bigger fish.
This week the crawdads (aka – crayfish / mudbugs) were building the towers they built when I was a kid. It’s something I have not seen in years and I am sure some of you may have never seen if you are not from the south. These mud towers show up all over the place this time of year.
I guess that’s why they are having the “Mudbug Madness http://mudbugmadness.com/ ” in Shreveport this weekend. Stefan wanted to be sure I reminded people that these are the same crayfish we eat in the south. For some reason he thinks that’s weird?
Sheeot and Pez have both had a good time this week. Sheeot has been able to run in the fields and be a farm dog. Pez even took a trip outside and under the house today which is unusual for her. They are adjusted just in time to head home.
The week is nearly over and we start our trek back to the east coast this weekend. We are going to stop in Atlanta and spend the night and have a shorter drive the last day on to South Carolina. Funny how quick the time has went. We arrived here a week ago today and it just doesn’t seem like we have been here that long.
Here are a few pictures of where we have called home this week.
8 comments:
I have to admit - I miss grass. So lush, soft, and cool on the feet.
I never knew crawdaddies made little tubes like that. Actually, I don't think I know what a crawdaddy looks like - time to google!
Have a safe trip home, and enjoy the weekend.
What an interesting post--I didn't know about thise tower either!
I have had crawdads in restaurants in Louisiana, but it seems like they are just SO much work (like artichokes)its hardly worth it...like Sue, I never knew they made mud towers like that either...always thought of them as wet/ under water creatures, not yard animals....googled "crawdad mud towers" and guess what topped the look up list? YOUR blog...so I guess you is the resident expert!
When I was a kid we would catch crawdads at in the creek at my grandparent’s farm. I sure never saw the towers though. Maybe the Oregon crawdads don't build them? Interesting though.
Leslie: I googled on "Crawfish Home" and found the two links below with pictures of the same type towers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lifeoncanvas/2361168910/
http://my.gardenguides.com/forums/topic/37155
Strange that there is not more on it on the web. But having seen these for years growing up I just knew who lived there. These are always in very wet areas along creeks or in ditches. They live in the mud and water.
I just found another good page if you want to read more. I should have called it a Crayfish Chimney. Who knew, I called them towers.
http://www.americaswetlandresources.com/wildlife_ecology/plants_animals_ecology/animals/invertebrates/crawfish.html
My brother used to catch crawdads out of the rivers and creeks and put them in a fishbowl in his room. I never realized until I was an adult that people actually ate them! Really cool post! I didn't know about the mud towers. Hope you had a great trip home!
Thanks for posting these photos. I first learned about them in a casual conversation with a Louisiana lady. She mentioned that dozens of these 'creations' will appear in Louisiana lawns, and she considered them unsightly. From a distance I think they look like something else. They need a name as funny-sounding as 'crawdads'.
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