Album of Lost Prairie Field Trip

Selected photos by Rod Crawford from my 12 June 2018 spider collecting trip with Jerry Austin to Lost Prairie and Lost Lake, south central Mason County, Washington. Lost Prairie was a semi-natural grassland maintained by fire back in pioneer days, but since fire suppression it became a rather dense (if not very tall) forest; but in 2012, Port Blakely Tree Farms clearcut it, and now it's a prairie again — at least until new trees grow up. Despite its recent renewal, numerous grassland-specific spiders are present. We also collected from more conventional habitats near the north end of nearby Lost Lake. Between the 2 sites we recorded an incredible, phenomenal 59-60 species!
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2015 aerial photo of Lost Prairie & south end of Lost Lake, Mason County, Washington Mount Rainier see from I-5 in south Seattle on 12 June 2018
Dots show prairie spider area; Lost Lake at top (Mason County, 2015) Mt. Rainier clearly visible in the morning, but then clouds came  © Rod Crawford
milepost 10 on West Cloquallam Road at Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington Austin vehicle arrives at Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Mile Post 10 on Cloquallam Road         © Rod Crawford We arrive!           © Rod Crawford
unidentified juvenile lycosid spider, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington landscape viewed from gate at MP 10, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Prairie wolf spider            © Rod Crawford Prairie landscape as seen from the gate           © Rod Crawford
small and large plants on surface of Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington overview shows mainly daisies, catsear & foxglove, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Complex surface with some natives       © Rod Crawford Although first glance shows mainly daisies, catsear, foxglove   © Rod Crawford
young planted Douglas-fir, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington meadow-like habitat, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Planted Doug-firs had their own fauna    © Rod Crawford Vast meadow-like habitats extremely rich in spiders          © Rod Crawford
carapace of crab spider Tmarus angulatus, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington meadow-like habitat, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Carapace of rarely seen Tmarus angulatus   © Rod Crawford More of the lush, rich meadow-like habitat                 © Rod Crawford
cup fungus, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington dead wood in grassland, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Cup fungi            © Rod Crawford Dead wood habitat in grassland was worthwhile        © Rod Crawford
columbine flower, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington salal at edge of Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Columbine             © Rod Crawford Salal near edge of clearcut                 © Rod Crawford
Theridion differens cobweb weaver spider from Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington tall grass, near edge of Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Colorful Theridion differens            © Rod Crawford Pure stands of tall grass were not very numerous             © Rod Crawford
bumble bee on daisy, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington complex ground surface, Lost Prairie, Mason County, Washington
Bumble bee on daisy          © Rod Crawford Complex ground surface provides much spider habitat        © Rod Crawford
Department of Wildlife Sign at Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington
Jerry worried because we had no Discover Pass - but we did!
© Rod Crawford		 Lost Lake: We found it!                © Rod Crawford
evergreen huckleberry, Vaccinium ovatum, Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington evergreen huckleberry, Vaccinium ovatum, Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington
Evergreen Huckleberry, another spider habitat       © Rod Crawford And there was plenty of it!                      © Rod Crawford
moss on roadside trees, Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington sifting moss on the back of the truck, Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington
Rich moss on roadside trees          © Rod Crawford Sifting moss on the back of the car              © Rod Crawford
sword ferns Polystichum munitum near Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington sword fern understory Polystichum munitum near Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington
Sword fern beside the road        © Rod Crawford Extensive sword fern understory             © Rod Crawford
maple leaf litter, Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington north end of lake from Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington
Leaf litter looked good but not too rich    © Rod Crawford North end of lake getting overpopulated       © Rod Crawford
small stand of natural lake-shore vegetation, Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington rain on windshield, Lost Lake public access, Mason County, Washington
Small clump of natural lakeshore plants    © Rod Crawford Rain on the windshield just before we left            © Rod Crawford

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This page last updated 1 July, 2018