Album of Wilkeson Creek Trip

Selected photos by Rod Crawford from the 4 December 2011 spider collecting trip (my second with field volunteer Joy Liu) to Wilkeson Creek Park and a mature forest tract adjacent to Wilkeson Town Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington. A short spell of unseasonably clear weather gave us the chance to supplement some old records to the tune of 33 spider species (40 with prior records), in habitats that were perfectly decent though altered.
READ TRIP NARRATIVE PHOTO ALBUM INDEX MAIN JOURNAL INDEX
aerial view of Wilkeson town cemetery & adjacent habitats, Pierce County, Washington Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington
Cemetery & adjacent forest (Pierce County, 2008) Historic graves in the winter sunshine         © Rod Crawford
Zipcar used on spider collecting trip to Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington mature western hemlock forest by Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington
Joy locks up our chariot      © Rod Crawford Cemetery property includes fine mature hemlock forest    © Rod Crawford
salal understory in sun, forest by Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington salal forest understory Gaultheria shallon by Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington
Sprig of salal in the sun        © Rod Crawford Extensive salal understory, a fine habitat                © Rod Crawford
grassy roadside verge near Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington ferns growing on log, forest by Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington
Grassy roadside verge        © Rod Crawford Ferny log in forest                © Rod Crawford
Joy Liu beating Douglas-fir foliage near Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington Carapace of Walckenaeria auranticeps female from forest understory, Wilkeson Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington
Joy beating firs across highway           © Rod Crawford Seeing red! Carapace of Walckenaeria auranticeps         © Rod Crawford
Joy Liu sorting spider catch from tree beat near Wilkeson Town Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington winter trees at Wilkeson Town Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington
Joy sorts spiders out of the net        © Rod Crawford Winter trees in the cemetery               © Rod Crawford
invasive blackberry along highway near Wilkeson Town Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington forest floor beside Wilkeson Town Cemetery, Pierce County, Washington
Invasive blackberry, an impassable barrier  © Rod Crawford Natural forest floor in the hemlock forest                © Rod Crawford

We spent the rest of the day at nearby Wilkeson Creek County Park (undeveloped), mostly sifting.

2008 aerial view of Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington Creek in Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington
Our little tract of the county park    (Pierce County, 2008) Scenic Wilkeson Creek         © Rod Crawford
Cottonwood tree, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington frost on other side of creek, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington
Streamside cottonwood         © Rod Crawford Heavy frost seen across the creek                  © Rod Crawford
frosty cottonwood leaf litter, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington gravel bar, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington
Frosty cottonwood litter        © Rod Crawford Frosty gravel bar                © Rod Crawford
maple leaf litter, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington microspider Grammonota kincaidi Linyphiidae from Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington
Maple litter, thawed & siftable        © Rod Crawford Grammonota kincaidi         © Rod Crawford
tree moss, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington view across creek, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce County, Washington
Tree moss             © Rod Crawford Another view across Wilkeson Creek       © Rod Crawford
Mount Rainier at sunset sunset from highway 410 near Bonney Lake, Pierce County, Washington
Mt. Rainier from South Prairie Road  © Rod Crawford Sun sets on a productive day        © Rod Crawford

Below, 4 photos from the Scarabs group field trip to Wilkeson County Park on 29 July 2012.

Curt Peterson collecting at Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce Couty, Washington Scarabs and Parascarabs arrive at Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce Couty, Washington
Curt Peterson looks for insects            © Rod Crawford Scarabs and parascarabs arrive at the undeveloped park      © Rod Crawford
Louise Kulzer on gravel bar, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce Couty, Washington gravel bar, Wilkeson Creek County Park, Pierce Couty, Washington
Scarab Kulzer on the cobbles         © Rod Crawford Gravel bar habitat now frost-free in July       © Rod Crawford
[Native Wildlife Gardening Home]     [Bug Information from The Scarabs]     [Bugs of the Month Home]

This page last updated 12 September, 2012