Robin,

I'm in Arizona from September to the end of May.

The crawfish in the small lakes south of me (Southeastern Az.) are either brown, orangeish with black markings, or green (not olive). The green matches the vegetation they live in, which is a slightly reddish green, sort of like the stem of a rose (the vegetation is called 'elodea')

On the Black River in Northeastern Az., the craws are green, a few of them are a bit on the brownish side, but the green predominates. They are just exactly the same shade as the green slime/moss like stuff that grows on the rocks...

I'm in Southwestern Colorado from May through August. The craws there are brown, with a few of the orange/black variety (these may be a moult/mating color?). The craws in Colorado are a lighter shade of brown than the ones I find in Arizona.

It's likely that the color of the bug has to do with the color of it's environment, but that's just a guess. I really have no clue as to 'why' they are colored as they are...

Good Luck!

Buddy

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