Invasive crayfish wreck havoc on amphibians in southern California, and now its clear they also increase mosquito larvae.

Previous work by ARMI scientists have shown the important impact of invasive crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) on endangered and threatened amphibian species in southern California (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cobi.13198 ). New published research has shown that these non-native predators may increase disease vectors (e.g. mosquitoes) through predation on native predators of these vectors such as dragonfly nymphs (https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/invasive-crayfish-increase-number-mosquitoes-southern-california-mountains). This work has also been highlighted in a recent National Geographic report on the study (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/08/swamp-crayfish-crawfish-mosquitoes-disease-animals/).