Album of Roundtop Creek Field Trip

Selected photos by Rod Crawford and Laurel Ramseyer from our 13 June 2025 spider collecting trip (with Kathy Whaley) to Roundtop Creek and beyond, south of Mineral, northern Lewis County, Washington. We visited Mineral Cemetery (outside our gridspace), then the main site where Sierra Pacific road 550 crosses Roundtop Creek, where we met a covey of Rail Cycle tourists! The riparian site and two clearcut sites on the roads beyond netted us 41 good species.
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2021 aerial view of Roundtop Creek, Lewis County, Washington field area Laurel Ramseyer in Mineral Cemetery, Lewis County, Washington
Our field sites near Roundtop Creek   (Lewis County, 2021) Laurel in Mineral Cemetery                © Rod Crawford
salmonberry, Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington Sierra Pacific gate, near Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Salmonberry (I found a ripe berry)       © Laurel Ramseyer The Sierra Pacific gate                      © Rod Crawford
under the bridge, Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington bridge over Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Under the bridge, where spiders live      © Laurel Ramseyer Bridge over Roundtop Creek              © Rod Crawford
Stream cobbles, Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Stream cobbles, a favorite habitat          © Rod Crawford Roundtop Creek had plenty of cobbles!                 © Rod Crawford
rare Cybaeopsis spenceri with egg sac, Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington linyphiid spider Saaristoa sammamish under cobble, Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Rare Cybaeopsis spenceri with eggs      © Laurel Ramseyer Saaristoa sammamish under cobble                © Laurel Ramseyer
Kathy Whaley sorting sweep sample, Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington tall grass suitable for sweeping, Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Kathy sorting spiders swept from grass     © Rod Crawford Tall grass such as Kathy swept            © Rod Crawford
crotch of Devil's Club, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington tall ferns beaten for spiders, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington
Devil's Club crotch                © Rod Crawford Tall ferns that Rod beat for spiders                   © Rod Crawford
moss and fern, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington clear water of Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington
Trunk moss and fern habitats              © Rod Crawford Cool clear water                         © Laurel Ramseyer
sifter with maple litter, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington maple litter in place, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington
Maple litter in mid-sift            © Rod Crawford Maple litter in place                      © Rod Crawford
spider Bathyphantes malkini from under stream cobble, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington not-quite abandoned logging railroad, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington
Bathyphantes malkini under a cobble   © Laurel Ramseyer Tracks looked unused, although grass was mowed           © Rod Crawford
rail cycles appear, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington rail cycles cross, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington
When what to our wondering eyes did appear…   © Laurel Ramseyer …but a long line of rail-cycles touring the forest          © Laurel Ramseyer
stonefly exuviae on cobble, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington upstream from bridge, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington
Giant stoneflies have emerged here      © Laurel Ramseyer Creek upstream from bridge               © Rod Crawford
garter snake, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington Kathy Whaley dozes on bridge, Roundtop Creek at SR 550 bridge, Lewis County, Washington
Garter snake forms into letters         © Laurel Ramseyer Kathy perilously dozes on bridge parapet                     © Laurel Ramseyer
fir foliage, E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington young Douglas-firs in 2013 clearcut E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Fir foliage rich in spiders              © Rod Crawford Douglas-firs regrown after 2013 clearcut             © Rod Crawford
Theridion simile spider from conifer foliage, E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington female wolf spider Pardosa dorsuncata with eggs, Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Theridion simile from conifer foliage       © Rod Crawford Pardosa dorsuncata with egg sac                 © Laurel Ramseyer
sweepable short grass along clearcut road, E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington male spider Theridion varians, E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Shorter grass, suitable for sweeping      © Rod Crawford Male Theridion varians from conifer foliage                   © Rod Crawford
female spider Oxyopes scalaris from clearcut, E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington road through 2013 clearcut, E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Oxyopes scalaris from Laurel's clearcut   © Laurel Ramseyer Road through 2013 clearcut                     © Rod Crawford
female spider Philodromus dispar from 2018 clearcut E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington former log landing E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Invasive Philodromus dispar is there    © Laurel Ramseyer Former log landing — surrounded by rich habitat              © Rod Crawford
habitat near 2018 clearcut, E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington male spider Anyphaena aperta from conifer foliage, E of Roundtop Creek, northern Lewis County, Washington
Laurel found similar habitat in another direction   © Laurel Ramseyer Male Anyphaena aperta with prey              © Laurel Ramseyer

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This page last updated 27 June, 2025