Spider Collector's Journal: Kittitas Album

Album of Kittitas / Badger Pocket Field Trip

Selected photos by Rod Crawford and Laurel Ramseyer from our 5 May 2019 spider collecting trip to the town of Kittitas in Kittitas County, where we collected in riparian habitats in a strip of public land where Cooke Creek crosses a rail trail. We also hit Palmiero Park (not as productive). Total, 26 species adding to 2 prior records. Then we spent an interesting couple of hours in Badger Pocket, a remote valley to the SE, where we got a 15 species head start on a future sample in very peaceful surroundings.

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Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington (aerial photo) trail gate, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Cooke Creek crosses the trail (Kittitas County, 2015) Gate leads to the rail trail            © Rod Crawford

trail hiker, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington riparian marsh & willow, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Hiker along the trail     © Rod Crawford Riparian marsh and willow               © Rod Crawford

Laurel Ramseyer sorting sweep sample, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington riparian grass, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Laurel sorting a sweep sample       © Rod Crawford Sweepable riparian grass                © Rod Crawford

bright yellow fly, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington riparian willow, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Bright yellow fly     © Laurel Ramseyer Big riparian willow tree            © Rod Crawford

willow leaf litter, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington Rod Crawford sifting leaf litter, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Willow leaf litter    © Rod Crawford Rod sifting litter on the lawn             © Laurel Ramseyer

ponderosa pine tree by trail, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington Russian olive Eleagnus trees, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Rod beat some pine foliage         © Rod Crawford While Laurel beat some Russian olive foliage           © Rod Crawford

weasel skull, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington reptilian tail, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Weasel skull on pine needles       © Laurel Ramseyer Reptilian tail              © Laurel Ramseyer

bull thistle Cirsium vulgare with spider, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington stand of bull thistle, Cirsium vulgare, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Webbing on bull thistle head    © Laurel Ramseyer New habitat ripe for the collecting         © Laurel Ramseyer

male crab spider Xysticus cunctator, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, SW corner of Kittitas, Washington

Male Xysticus cunctator    © Laurel Ramseyer Xysticus cunctator with leafhopper prey         © Laurel Ramseyer

pine cones at sewage treatment plant, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, Kittitas, Washington quail on road to sewage plant pine trees, Cooke Creek at John Wayne Trail, Kittitas, Washington

Pine cones around sewage treatment plant © Laurel Ramseyer Quail guards road to the pine trees         © Laurel Ramseyer

Palmiero Park, Kittitas, Kittitas County, Washington

Palmiero Park, too lawn-y    © Rod Crawford Bloomin' fruit trees at Palmiero Park         © Rod Crawford

iconic silo in Kittitas, Washington irrigation canal bordering Palmiero Park, Kittitas, Kittitas County, Washington

We knew for sure we were in Kittitas © Rod Crawford Canal separates Palmiero Park from houses         © Laurel Ramseyer

After leaving Kittitas, we made a preliminary visit to the quiet valley of Badger Pocket:


Badger Pocket, valley bounded by canal (Kittitas County 2015)	View of peaceful Badger Pocket from Silica Road © Rod Crawford

Sagebrush above the road © Rod Crawford	And sagebrush below the road — with spiders! © Rod Crawford

Dictyna web over the canal © Laurel Ramseyer	Much habitat beyond, but Army bars the way © Laurel Ramseyer

Rod sweeping in roadside ditch © Laurel Ramseyer	Canal bounds Badger Pocket; Army land beyond © Laurel Ramseyer

Juvenile tiger salamander in ditch © Rod Crawford	Looking across the valley from WPA Road © Rod Crawford

Scottish Highland cattle followed me © Rod Crawford	Silica Road; Rod sorting beat sample © Laurel Ramseyer

Laurel's row of Ponderosa pines © Rod Crawford	Cloud occudes the sun © Rod Crawford

Stuart Range from the freeway © Rod Crawford	Sunset fades near Snoqualmie Pass © Rod Crawford

This page last updated 2 July, 2019


Cooke Creek crosses the trail (Kittitas County, 2015)	Gate leads to the rail trail © Rod Crawford

Hiker along the trail © Rod Crawford	Riparian marsh and willow © Rod Crawford

Laurel sorting a sweep sample © Rod Crawford	Sweepable riparian grass © Rod Crawford

Bright yellow fly © Laurel Ramseyer	Big riparian willow tree © Rod Crawford

Willow leaf litter © Rod Crawford	Rod sifting litter on the lawn © Laurel Ramseyer

Rod beat some pine foliage © Rod Crawford	While Laurel beat some Russian olive foliage © Rod Crawford

Weasel skull on pine needles © Laurel Ramseyer	Reptilian tail © Laurel Ramseyer

Webbing on bull thistle head © Laurel Ramseyer	New habitat ripe for the collecting © Laurel Ramseyer

Male Xysticus cunctator © Laurel Ramseyer	Xysticus cunctator with leafhopper prey © Laurel Ramseyer

Pine cones around sewage treatment plant © Laurel Ramseyer	Quail guards road to the pine trees © Laurel Ramseyer

Palmiero Park, too lawn-y © Rod Crawford	Bloomin' fruit trees at Palmiero Park © Rod Crawford

We knew for sure we were in Kittitas © Rod Crawford	Canal separates Palmiero Park from houses © Laurel Ramseyer