Until 1930 Orconectes virilis was the most common crayfish in northern Wisconsin lakes. Orconectes propinquus arrived around 1950 and Orconectes rusticus in the 1960s. Orconectes propinquus routinely displaces Orconectes virilis from lakes in which both are found, and Orconectes rusticus does the same to Orconectes propinquus.
The recently introduced Orconectes rusticus suffers less predation than its congeners, and it has greater weight-specific feeding rates. As a result, establishment of Orconectes rusticus results in reductions of littoral zone macrophytes and invertebrates, possibly even changes in nutrient cycling.