A crawdad is a small freshwater creature that looks like a miniature lobster, typically 2-4 inches long, with a hard shell, two large pinching claws, and eight walking legs. Crawdads live in streams, creeks, ponds, and muddy ditches, often hiding under rocks or burrowing into soft mud along the banks.

You might also hear them called crayfish or crawfish, depending on where you live. In Louisiana, people say crawfish and cook them in spicy boils. In other parts of the country, crayfish is more common. All three names can refer to the same kind of creature.

Crawdads are scavengers, eating dead plants, tiny insects, and bits of whatever they find on the creek bottom. Kids often catch them by lifting rocks in shallow water or dangling a piece of bacon on a string.

These creatures play an important role in their ecosystem, cleaning up debris and providing food for fish, raccoons, herons, and other animals. Scientists also use them to study water quality, since many crawdads only thrive in clean streams.