Crawfish, crawdads, mudbugs… Louisiana mudbug season is beginning to emerge and people across Louisiana are setting their teeth for their first 2025 tastes of the delicious crustaceans. The season usually starts with locals bringing out steaming pots of boiling water drowned in spicy seasonings that saturate and elevate the humble crawfish to a level of goodness found in the Cajun State. While once only a South Louisiana delicacy, the popularity of the mudbug has made its way past the swamps and bayous and has become a staple in all 66 parishes and beyond. How did it reach its present popularity? Recent history tells the tale.

The Atchafalaya Basin was the birthplace of crawfish harvests in the early 1700s when Acadians arrived in Louisiana and to their delight, found crawfish were similar to the lobsters they had enjoyed in Canada. They modified their Canadian lobster recipes to accommodate the smaller mudbugs and never stopped eating them.

Later in the 1800s, the lowly mudbugs provided a protein substance for the predominately Catholic Louisiana areas during times of lent when members of the Catholic faith had to abstain from consuming meats. Additionally, crawfish were a cheap food supply for Louisianians as the swamps and marshes were filled with them. In 1880, records show one of the earliest commercial crawfish harvests generating 23,400 pounds with a total value of $2,140.00.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that crawfish boils took off and the production and consumption of crawfish exploded. Crawfish were proclaimed as Louisiana’s state crustacean in 1980, and the development of crawfish aquaculture increased the supply and extended the season. Live crawfish were not only shipped across the state but across the country and other foodies suddenly had access to the delicious crawdads.

Today, the crawfish industry annually nets over $300 million for the state economy, and Louisiana crawfish festivals are held across the state celebrating the popularity of the mudbug. Crawfish production provides jobs and income for farmers, fishermen and others in the state.

While the season peaks in April and continues through June, limited harvest can begin and be enjoyed much earlier, and availability varies depending on your state location. Regardless, pinching off the tails and draining the heads of their crawfish goodness is an artform that native Louisianians have perfected and will savor as long the season allows. Throwing in a few cobs of corn, potatoes and even sausage adds to the pot and the taste.

As the season approaches, consumers will be happy to know that crawfish are healthy. Serving as a good source of high protein, mudbugs are low in fat and calories, containing less than 2% fat. The crustaceans are high in calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphorous and contain B vitamins, niacin, copper and selenium, not that Louisianians eat them for health reasons.

These mouthwatering, highly seasoned, bugs are enjoyed for the unique taste and pure goodness they bring to each occasion, whether it’s at a backyard boil with family and friends or at sit-down restaurant with a plastic bib on and a bucket set to the side catching the discarded heads and tails.

The succulent rituals and history of eating crawfish drips from the fingertips of every hand that reaches and grabs one, and it’s certain to continue as this year’s harvest makes its way to the dinner table.

Whether boiled whole, cooked down in a gumbo, an etouffee, or a jambalaya, crawfish is king – at least for the duration of the season. Let the good times boil!