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signal crayfish and newts

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mynewt View Drop Down
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    Posted: 20 Sep 2006 at 7:06am

Hi there

I've just found signal (American) crayfish in a nice GCN pond - does anyone know whether they impact on our native newts - either by attacking adults or feeding on eggs in water plants ?   Is it too early to say - and is anyone studying this ?

In the Seychelles the biggest problem for hatching Aldabra tortoises is having their legs bitten off by land crabs, apparently - and crayfish have pretty big pincers too !

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-LAF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote -LAF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2006 at 11:46am
I'm not sure  if the GCNs toxic skin secretions would deter signals or not, but  I would have to assume that they would certainly eat our other newt species.  They are known to feed happily on amphibians and apparently are very fond of amphibian eggs.

The good news is that they taste delicious, boiled with a bit off dill then cooled and shelled like langustines. Makes manual removal more appealing.

Lee.


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Lee Fairclough
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AndyS View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AndyS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 2007 at 3:43pm

 well a bit late!! ( hey I'm new and still looking through the forums)

but it might still be relevant to others, if you're sure they are American signal crayfish and not our native crayfish, then where possible should be removed and disposed of e.g a number nine boot or as Lee suggested, cooked  washed in fresh water for a couple of days before eating is best just to flush them out

They breed prolifically and eat almost anything they can lay their claws on and also carry a virus which also infects and kills our native crayfish

over the past couple of years along the Basingstoke Canal they have trapped well over a 1000Kg of them with traps. and of course not being a native species if caught can't be put back.OK

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Matt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2007 at 3:45pm
Originally posted by mynewt mynewt wrote:

I've just found signal (American) crayfish in a nice GCN pond - does anyone know whether they impact on our native newts - either by attacking adults or feeding on eggs in water plants ?   Is it too early to say - and is anyone studying this ?

Hi there

I had a similar problem earleir this year when I found a few Signals in a new GCN breeding pond on the edge of a development site.  I'm pretty sure the ones I found had been put in there by some of the local kids - apparently the signals can be found locally in nearby streams.  I think they would certainly predate newt eggs on vegetation if they could find them.

I netted them out and stamped on them.

Matt

BRAG - Berkshire Reptile & Amphibian Group
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Suzi View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2007 at 5:39pm
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