What process do yabbies employ to survive prolonged drought and heat?

Aestivation

Yabbies utilize an incredible survival strategy known as aestivation when their watery environments shrink or disappear entirely due to drought. This process is the crustacean equivalent of hibernation but is specifically triggered by heat and dry conditions, rather than cold. During aestivation, the yabby digs deep into the moist mud or sediment at the bottom of the drying waterway, creating a protective burrow where it seals itself into a mud chamber. In this state, its metabolism slows down to the bare minimum, allowing it to wait out long dry spells, sometimes lasting months or even years, until the return of significant rainfall initiates their re-emergence.