Selected photos by Rod
Crawford and Laurel Ramseyer from our 15 May 2026 spider collecting trip (with Kathy Whaley and Jerry Austin) to riparian steppe habitats at Apricot Orchard Boat Launch on the Columbia River in Douglas County, Washington. We stayed there most of the day, collecting spiders from rabbitbrush, sagebrush, a willow thicket, the outhouse, field grass, tumbleweeds, and rocks; later we added several species at an upland site slong Stuhlmiller road, for a total of 30-32 species.
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| In a narrow riparian belt along the river (Douglas County 2024) | Lovely habitats — except for the cheatgrass © Rod Crawford |
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| The Public Utility District's sign © Rod Crawford | The parking lot and its environs © Rod Crawford |
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| Outhouse gave us 4 species © Rod Crawford | Gray rabbitbrush dominated the shrub-steppe © Rod Crawford |
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| But true sagebrush was present © Rod Crawford | And also green rabbitbrush © Rod Crawford |
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| M. lepidus common on shrubs © Rod Crawford | Misumenops (Mecaphesa) lepidus, male © Laurel Ramseyer |
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| Sifter of willow litter © Rod Crawford | Willow thicket was large, but hard to penetrate © Rod Crawford |
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| Accumulation of (dry) willow litter © Rod Crawford | Inside the willow thicket © Rod Crawford |
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| Unknown microspider from willow litter © Rod Crawford | The dammed Columbia River © Rod Crawford |
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| Wild (or feral?) rose at water's edge © Rod Crawford | Tall riparian grass added just one spider species © Rod Crawford |
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| Kathy ready to pounce on any spider in her net © Rod Crawford | Typical surub-steppe (but mainly rabbitbrush) © Rod Crawford | |
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| Sassacus papenhoei was common © Laurel Ramseyer | Scutigera coleoptrata, most impressive sub-rock specimen © Laurel Ramseyer |
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| Steatoda washona under rock, a rarity © Laurel Ramseyer | Lots of rocks ready to turn for spiders © Laurel Ramseyer |
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| The bend in Stuhlmiller Road (NAIP, 2024) | The bend enclosed an uncultivated gully © Rod Crawford |
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| Eight-spotted dragonfly © Laurel Ramseyer | More tumbleweeds than you could shake over a net © Laurel Ramseyer |
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| Rod and Jerry both had success sweeping © Laurel Ramseyer | Jerry swept this male Xysticus cunctator © Rod Crawford |
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| Kathy does her sweeping closer to road © Laurel Ramseyer | Philodromus insperatus from sagebrush © Rod Crawford |
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| Sagebrush and tumbleweeds © Laurel Ramseyer | Grassy-weedy field habitat © Laurel Ramseyer |
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| Rod against sky, contemplating a haircut © Laurel Ramseyer | Near-sunset over Lake Washington © Rod Crawford |
This page last updated 2 July, 2026