Nature Notes
by Bob Thomas

There are many species of critters living along the beach front that are seldom seen, yet there is constant interesting evidence of their presence.

One such example is the beach ghost shrimp, Callichirus islagrande, a burrowing animal that seldom, if ever, exits its tunnels willingly. This species is endemic to the northern Gulf of Mexico and inhabits the high energy foreshore of barrier islands and similar stretches of quartzite sandy beaches.

Delta Journal

by Bob Thomas

It is easy to walk down a pretty sand beach, with waves sloshing back and forth, and imagine that there is little life along the edge of the sea. There is no vegetation growing – there is just sand.

In the Wild
by Bob Thomas

There are many species of crawfish in Louisiana. Some are small, others are large. Some are rather drab in life, while some species are ornately colored with blues, reds, yellows, and greens.

Only a few species occur in our coastal wetlands; all are restricted to freshwater. Our most common species burrow during the late summer, spend most of the fall and winter underground in water filled tunnels, then move to open water (anything from roadside ditches to swamps, ponds, bayous, and lakes).