The Only Way to Control Them is to Eat Them?

The illustration shows similar crustaceans, prepared for the dinner table. The Marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) is, however, a very unusual beast that might be destined for the same fate. This crustacean seems to have originated in a bag of 'Texas crayfish', sold by a pet trader in Frankfurt, Germany (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/17/we-started-eating-them-what-do-you-do-with-an-invasive-army-of-crayfish-clones-aoe). Marbled crayfish are always female and reproduce parthenogenetically, without requiring sex (like aphids or greenfly). Their impressive powers of reproduction led to many crayfish being liberated into lakes, ponds and rivers by bored pet keepers. Marbled crayfish are impressively adaptable and have taken over freshwater habitats all over Germany and the rest of Europe. They are even causing considerable problems in the fragile ecosystems of Madagascar. The cloning ability of Marbled crayfish, has even resulted in this animal being used in cancer research. It appears, however, that the only way to halt the inexorable spread of the Marbled crayfish, is to eat it! These crayfish are becoming a useful, tasty addition to local diets in a number of places.