Crawfish
Posted by John Shoptaw on August 22, 2006
Q: How do crawfish build their chimneys? Why do they build them?
State: California
A: The first question is easy, the second is so easy.
Crayfish that burrow in the soil simply dig up a bit of mud with their claws and carry it to the surface and deposit it there. I've never observed this activity myself (I believe it occurs only at night) but I can easily imagine an animal doing this.
Why the animals create these mud chimneys is not so clear. According to my sources, the chimneys are the result of the most efficient way to get rid of the excavated mud - just dump it outside where it forms a "tower"? It's not believed that the chimneys have any particular purpose in their construction. Hope this helps.
John Wiessinger ( August 25, 2006)