Will Budnick, PhD

PhD in Aquatic Macroecology; Fish Biologist with USGS UMESC; 100% crayfish enthusiast

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

Please obey all regulations regarding the possession of crayfish species. Don't release any pet crayfish into the wild. Don't import pet crayfish over state lines. If you don't know what species you have, ask a @CrayfishIAA expert, or I can help you find one in your home state!

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

@MeganWeber_AIS Ah bummer. Too frozen up here in St. Cloud. I'll keep you all in mind next time I catch any.

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

@MeganWeber_AIS What is your deadline on the photos? If it warms up I can see about potentially doing some dipnetting in a few spots.

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

Excellent work! This is a paper we definitely needed. Color patterns among invasive red swamp #crayfish are absolutely crazy. It's nice to get some generic underpinnings to how these colors and patterns emerge to befuddle inspectors.

[Michigan EGLE @MichiganEGLE]

Don’t Let it Loose! - Protect Michigan’s waterways! 🌊 Join us Jan. 14 to learn how the RIPPLE campaign helps prevent invasive pets & plants from harming our lakes and streams in our next #NotMISpecies webinar.

Register: https://t.co/I11rtDh4hF @MSUExtension

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

https://t.co/JtDhPokRDQ

ICYMI: Did you know that female red swamp #crayfish can store the sperm of up to 7 partners for a single clutch? This could help red swamp crayfish avoid bottlenecks! Check this fact and more genetics/evolutionary theory from my fellow MSU colleagues! 🦞

[National Park Service @NatlParkService]

One day you’re young and wild; the next, it’s Monday, and you’re dialing into a teams call.

[Dr. Crayfish @DrCrayfish]

First record (and photos) of the Red swamp crawfish Procambarus clarkii in south-west Ontario, Canada, by Sam Turner (on iNaturalist). It has now been recorded in 4 Canadian provinces: Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland.

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

Chelae up! Put it on your calendars, folks. The biggest international #crayfish meeting inbound to the States in 2026. Get those projects done and your taste buds ready!

[Dr. Crayfish @DrCrayfish]

Next IAA (25) meeting is in New Orleans in early June 2026 (hosted by @DrCBonvillain ). Get ready for some serious Cajun Crawfish fun, culture & science. !@CrayfishIAA

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

¡Disponible pronto!

#crayfish

[Michigan EGLE @MichiganEGLE]

Invasive red swamp crayfish in SE Michigan ponds and drainages have high potential to spread to nearby bodies of water.

Find out how genetic tools are being used to study and aim to control their spread in our #NotMiSpecies Webinar, Sept 12. https://t.co/I11rtDh4hF

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

We can never have too many #crayfish!

[Prof. Dr. Felipe Ribeiro🦞🏳️‍🌈 @craylipe]

New published paper! Two new species of crayfish from southern Brazil! Now, there are 25 species of Parastacus. I described 16 :)

[Dr. Crayfish @DrCrayfish]

New Record of invasive introduced White River crayfish from Severn Sound on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. 😥😱(iNaturalist photo by Kelton Adderley- Heron)

[Elizabeth Myers @elmyers20]

It's #crayweek, so follow the hashtag for a good time learning more about these clawesome critters 🦞

📸 Painted Devil Crayfish Lacunicambarus ludovicianus

[Dr. Chris Bonvillain @DrCBonvillain]

Don’t be blue, it’s #crayweek!
Blue color variation on Southern White River Crayfish, Procambarus zonangulus. 🦞

[Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant @ILINSeaGrant]

Welcome to #CrayWeek! This week, we’re showcasing the incredible world of crayfish, also known as crawfish, crawdads, or mudbugs. Let’s get Cray-Crazy!

[Bailey O'Brian @Cray_Bay99]

Raise your chelae for #CrayWeek
The best week of the year! 🦞🎆

Pictured: Freckled Crayfish (Cambarus maculatus)

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

@MicrobiomDigest First column, second row overlaps last column, second row. The last colimn, second row panel looks like they just shifted the image up and over to the right.

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

Y'all need to study more #crayfish.

Do you got a student who wants to wallow around in the wonderful streams of East Louisiana? A student who needs an amazing mentor? A student who wants to study a culturally valuable (and charismatic) animal? See this post. Sign up, chelae up.

[Dr. Chris Bonvillain @DrCBonvillain]

I have two MS assistantships in the #AquaticEcologyandAstacologyLab beginning Spring 25 to look at crayfish distribution and habitat assessment in the Pearl River basin in Louisiana. $20,000/yr + tuition waiver 💴!
See the A&M posting for full details.
https://t.co/p5gL41jpUm

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

@DrCrayfish @AISSophie Absolutely. Biggest parts of the challenge was getting our partners on board with the species to overview with the guide and settling on the audience. Would be glad to set up a chat to share notes and see what opportunities might be on the horizon.

[Will Budnick, PhD @feedmahcrayfish]

Thanks for the shoutout, @DrCrayfish! We worked hard together to get this #crayfish outreach poster over the finish line. We hope retail owners/DNR managers and agents find this useful!

Electronic versions will be available soon in multiple languages!!!

[Dr. Crayfish @DrCrayfish]

Michigan invasive species &EPA GL restoration Poster with my illustrations is out!