tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27944901517736121882024-02-19T00:56:51.634-08:00Adventures Of A Pine Cone Spider CollectorLaurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-24043262508915169412019-08-01T09:05:00.000-07:002019-08-01T09:05:22.696-07:00Ozyptila praticola Found In Arenac County, Michigan<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-efKzb5phKzaZnGoCmfxd5F5TIl1Be_uTtibUFgo6E2tcAuoy8anRaXhpoAczggvRLzQCRNTb_VtcerSMm4elJhQPGPgTon888YNPsMTV6AQD3m3-8gzI1cYcn2eYJetarGUmhDi-Ag/s1600/Arenac-in-MI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="431" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-efKzb5phKzaZnGoCmfxd5F5TIl1Be_uTtibUFgo6E2tcAuoy8anRaXhpoAczggvRLzQCRNTb_VtcerSMm4elJhQPGPgTon888YNPsMTV6AQD3m3-8gzI1cYcn2eYJetarGUmhDi-Ag/s200/Arenac-in-MI.JPG" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Location of Arenac County in MI. </span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Public domain map by David </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Benbennick.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A recent trip to Arenac County, Michigan provided me with the unusual opportunity to search for the introduced European spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) in a region where it has, to my knowledge, <a href="https://scan-bugs.org/portal/index.php">not been documented</a>. The likelihood of its presence in Michigan seemed high, however, since it's been found in the neighboring province of Ontario (<a href="https://wsc.nmbe.ch/refincluded/5001">Dondale and Redner 1978</a>), and in the states of Illinois (<a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Diversity-and-Activity-of-Ground-Dwelling-Spiders-a-Steffen-Draney/e6ba1ab6546ab309aa38628c22e348828fc7f74a">Steffen and Draney 2009</a>) and New York (<a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2015/10/2015-10-4-brant-lake-new-york.html">Ramseyer 2015</a>).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZje23FKNpc9pJrCUXRv4nHohu2t0Vq3JTtpCJ1t3eNTZM60gbHBpw6yuHtafpvvydzEvG7hPFicSfT-yQQE7sqCs2V7MgOXgrEXkJlSeT6-Vv8Xzz08GvfEinaeKS7dqRFsvL-pHyA/s1600/Sims+Twp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1226" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZje23FKNpc9pJrCUXRv4nHohu2t0Vq3JTtpCJ1t3eNTZM60gbHBpw6yuHtafpvvydzEvG7hPFicSfT-yQQE7sqCs2V7MgOXgrEXkJlSeT6-Vv8Xzz08GvfEinaeKS7dqRFsvL-pHyA/s200/Sims+Twp.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location of sample site in Arenac <br />County, Michigan. (<a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=f45aa3ea295641edaea1acf909392cca">Arenac Co. GIS</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA5JGmGeBPiBNDfI-2-gSXCk18ZB0OB4ApgxyCVwvsy6erkytqXBhkLbYbeWsK1oBH_J9hm82lG6exlF8X2tTbUxheZUlT1EfalbS7FNgE3HN6ItGgC-4wAHr_RTmksNvoktgrxNP_w/s1600/IMGP0545-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1531" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA5JGmGeBPiBNDfI-2-gSXCk18ZB0OB4ApgxyCVwvsy6erkytqXBhkLbYbeWsK1oBH_J9hm82lG6exlF8X2tTbUxheZUlT1EfalbS7FNgE3HN6ItGgC-4wAHr_RTmksNvoktgrxNP_w/s200/IMGP0545-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ventral side of female <i>O. praticola</i><br />sifted from oak litter in Arenac County,<br />Michigan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The ground-level microhabitats that I sampled with <i>O. praticola</i> in mind included fallen conifer cones, the undersides of old boards laying on the ground, and oak leaf litter near buildings. All sample sites were in a semi-suburbanized rural stretch of the Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron) coast. <br /><br />Surprisingly, I found an adult female <i>O. praticola </i>under the first board I turned over. In addition, I sifted mature specimens from two separate deposits of oak litter. A juvenile <i>Ozyptila sp</i>. was also present in the fallen cones. In short, not only are <i>O. praticola</i> present at this Michigan site, but they're common enough to be easily found in at least two microhabitats.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-5303068191179524992018-07-27T20:28:00.000-07:002018-07-29T09:31:21.253-07:00For Ozyptila praticola, The Allure Of Tree Trunk Moss May Evaporate With Its Moisture Content<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgJ2CQpT3GAfglg2QV2g2mwaEIK3RJ_FyRW62H3BCUa5CucRf5L3c819pi57t3iwuoIqPCVeNctrG3jHFykBIaXvw8SuEuvNkGin0pbAS9t3kadrqa_sGRqPp9H_RNrV_WgTTqkVdOg/s1600/Ozyptila+praticola+adults+only+2018-7-26.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgJ2CQpT3GAfglg2QV2g2mwaEIK3RJ_FyRW62H3BCUa5CucRf5L3c819pi57t3iwuoIqPCVeNctrG3jHFykBIaXvw8SuEuvNkGin0pbAS9t3kadrqa_sGRqPp9H_RNrV_WgTTqkVdOg/s320/Ozyptila+praticola+adults+only+2018-7-26.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of places where <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> has been confirmed <br />
with a mature specimen. Squares, pins, crosses, and circles show<br />
were <i>O. praticola</i> was collected in moss, cones, litter, and <br />
cardboard live traps, respectively.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tree trunk moss has turned out to be an excellent microhabitat in which to find the introduced crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i>, just <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/03/ozyptila-praticola-found-in-tree-trunk.html">as I'd hoped</a>. I began sifting riparian tree trunk moss in early May in my ongoing effort to determine the local distribution of <i>O. praticola</i> in western Washington. In the short time since, I've documented the presence of <i>O. praticola</i> at points along the Puyallup and White rivers, and along entire stretches of the Tolt, Snoqualmie, Cedar, and Green rivers. These new moss-derived records constitute extensions of the known local range of <i>O. praticola</i> in Washington state.<br />
<br />
In addition to distribution information, the moss samples also provided a glimpse into the life history of <i>O. praticola</i>. The following observations are based on moss samples I took at sites that I have since confirmed are within <i>O. praticola</i>'s local range. In May, I sifted moss at eleven sites and found adult females present at six of them (54% of sites). Adult males were also present in the moss at five of those six sites, but not at any of the other sites. In June, I sampled nine sites and found females at five (55% of sites), but found no males whatsoever. In July I sampled 7 sites and found females at only two of them (29% of sites), and again no males. Significantly, I didn't find any females after July 5th. The number of <i>O. praticola</i> juveniles present also fell dramatically in July to at most a few per site, whereas dozens were often present in May and June samples.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr_fDtUFNiakjEh5prZ9kvTG8Va5rzIsLNyGebsL9x-U_daypq_kwOiXzwhIQsT6Ag2_-MzQGL177iT3RK8R7MCk_Ms6gbuWDaT98juBinYunhX9MZ-SYgUupBgn5-f9oRvjlFbbElA/s1600/climate+seattle2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="553" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr_fDtUFNiakjEh5prZ9kvTG8Va5rzIsLNyGebsL9x-U_daypq_kwOiXzwhIQsT6Ag2_-MzQGL177iT3RK8R7MCk_Ms6gbuWDaT98juBinYunhX9MZ-SYgUupBgn5-f9oRvjlFbbElA/s200/climate+seattle2.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Average monthly temperatures and<br />
rainfall for Seattle, Washington (USA).<br />
<a href="https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate-on-your-site.php?id=uswa0395">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
The tree trunk moss microhabitat became noticeably drier during the months I sampled. In May, moss was well hydrated and frequently damp to the touch. By mid-July, with the occasional exception of moss low on the trunk and shielded from desiccating conditions by understory vegetation, the moss was often dry enough to pulverize. This trend generally corresponded to the increasing temperatures and decreasing monthly rainfall totals typical for the region during that time of year (see chart, <i>right</i>). Whether seasonal desiccation of the tree trunk moss microhabitat was a contributing factor to the decreasing occurrence of <i>O. praticola</i> that I observed is unknown.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopWUk4OEl4RW85rMCCK35pQoaE_x5ahiUm1LpDmraKMgF-VKxKoPi05CEBUS0je0lHxc2ztMgTyZ7TPqc-lqeNt6UK8MdO1YGd3GWYOhsx-Z85blnZNvKlfNhGEccVyELi9ZGl55QBQ/s1600/IMGP0155-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="819" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopWUk4OEl4RW85rMCCK35pQoaE_x5ahiUm1LpDmraKMgF-VKxKoPi05CEBUS0je0lHxc2ztMgTyZ7TPqc-lqeNt6UK8MdO1YGd3GWYOhsx-Z85blnZNvKlfNhGEccVyELi9ZGl55QBQ/s200/IMGP0155-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Xysticus pretiosus</i> female with egg sac,<br />
sifted together from tree trunk moss</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Presumably, <i>O. praticola</i> was using tree trunk moss as, among other things, a place to mate and deposit egg sacs. However, I never found a female <i>O. praticola</i> with an egg sac in the sifted material, nor did I find any unattended egg sacs. This was in contrast to female <i>Xysticus pretiosis</i> I frequently sifted from the same moss. Female <i>X. pretiosis</i> that I collected in late June and early July usually managed to hang on to their egg sacs through the moss collection and sifting process, and continued guarding them on the sifting cloth. Perhaps any <i>O. praticola</i> egg sacs present were too firmly attached to the moss to be dislodged during sifting, or had been deposited somewhere other than on the moss.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
Although I've spent the past few months concentrating my efforts on moss sifting, I still continue to tap fallen cones when the opportunity arises. Where fallen cones are available, tapping them is a quick and convenient way of searching for <i>Ozyptila praticola,</i> I have found. Although the moss and fallen cone microhabitats are quite different and hardly overlap spatially, it is interesting to compare my two data sets from a phenological point of view.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmFBDXFhwW5x70siiZCcbw8ExKwwD9d0gIBmbNemoMQQh5WGFGU03HTNbdU0LPV2VsxQ8O6uIPWwtXYiVmokZoxvTKWZBOjkbh7iYF81nDrV8PbO3hp0O_g7-RxMwRsi2J6vd9ApenA/s1600/cone+chart2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="949" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmFBDXFhwW5x70siiZCcbw8ExKwwD9d0gIBmbNemoMQQh5WGFGU03HTNbdU0LPV2VsxQ8O6uIPWwtXYiVmokZoxvTKWZBOjkbh7iYF81nDrV8PbO3hp0O_g7-RxMwRsi2J6vd9ApenA/s320/cone+chart2.JPG" width="320" /></a>Looking at a chart of average monthly concentrations of male and female <i>O. praticola</i> in cones (data from a total of almost 4,300 cones tapped from 78 sites), I note two things. First, both males and females decrease in concentration from May through July, similar to the occurrence pattern I observed in tree trunk moss. (Where do the surviving <i>O. praticola</i> that leave the fallen cone and tree trunk moss microhabitats go during the summer months?) Second, <i>O. praticola</i> males reach their highest concentrations in fallen cones in April. If the occurrence of <i>O. praticola</i> males also peaks in April in tree trunk moss, then I missed observing that because I didn't start sifting moss until May. I'll need to adjust my moss sampling schedule next year to learn more.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Every method has its limits, and riparian tree trunk moss is no exception. With mature <i>O. praticola</i> apparently abandoning the microhabitat during the dry season, it looks like I may have to wait until autumn rains resume to continue this mode of sampling.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-5551212288353598572018-06-22T12:01:00.000-07:002018-06-22T12:01:06.219-07:00Photos Of Female Ozyptila praticola With Egg Sac<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pGeh8KzzAGU95MjAABdlDCf-zfEjKXViY-QSqWuxGH_GxaM8LDDR14UoLEd52xBMd-lJ8Fw4fQFhPef4U9iur_5SNVlUEXWDRlX9d174ooMah0hKlY8FKebW2Z0Buy2KLaCqqDbr-A/s1600/IMGP0213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pGeh8KzzAGU95MjAABdlDCf-zfEjKXViY-QSqWuxGH_GxaM8LDDR14UoLEd52xBMd-lJ8Fw4fQFhPef4U9iur_5SNVlUEXWDRlX9d174ooMah0hKlY8FKebW2Z0Buy2KLaCqqDbr-A/s200/IMGP0213.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> in repose,<br />with egg sac.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've finally seen an <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> female with her egg sac! I've been so focused on determining the local range of this introduced European species in Washington state (USA), that I haven't spent much time delving into its life history. So for me, this was a first.<br />
<br />
I found her in a cardboard live trap that I had placed in Kirkland, Washington back on 29 March 2018. The trap was a roll of 12" by <a href="https://www.staples.com/singleface-corrugated-roll-3-x-250-sf03/product_948853">3" single-face flute-A corrugated cardboard</a> placed under a layer of pine needles in a dry, shrubby area at <a href="http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/parks/Parks_and_Open_Spaces/Pets.htm">Jasper's Dog Park</a>. I returned this week to check the trap and found it inhabited only by the <i>O. praticola</i>, her egg sac, and a few earwigs.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFE92oCpCcbGqkhbyBSKKKnkPJ67UWlLiurQCg_IeecK0AjCjoG_v_a3oKOQKQkPwhZS1CjUOpTEHKpGCL0YpQslXkHCb7vgrJAW-UDgdkRsX_dONUj-JJ6UpIMSYitVQGp_SZWAe4Tw/s1600/IMGP0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFE92oCpCcbGqkhbyBSKKKnkPJ67UWlLiurQCg_IeecK0AjCjoG_v_a3oKOQKQkPwhZS1CjUOpTEHKpGCL0YpQslXkHCb7vgrJAW-UDgdkRsX_dONUj-JJ6UpIMSYitVQGp_SZWAe4Tw/s200/IMGP0222.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> protecting<br />her egg sac</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The egg sac was lenticular in shape and apparently "tacked" to the cardboard substrate at intervals with silk. The female was in repose on one side of the egg sac when I opened the trap. However, after I began to move the trap this way and that to get enough light for photos, she became active enough to take a more protective position over the egg sac.<br />
<br />
If you're interested in this species, you should also check out <a href="https://twitter.com/Tone_Killick/status/857625166582624258">Tone Killick's excellent photos</a> of a female <i>O. praticola</i> and her egg sac, taken <a href="http://srs.britishspiders.org.uk/portal.php/p/Picture/r/view/s/Ozyptila+praticola">near Gloucester, England</a>.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-28373974656113925642018-06-13T13:03:00.000-07:002018-06-13T13:22:21.211-07:00Ozyptila praticola In Tree Trunk Moss On The Cedar River<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIcnpkSyaPxvLwKFj_TAN4IYCvSHya4XOp0bbQO2jmhacAYPmzs0kT1xVgj4LA4vxTkhJqhHNhBddR7gJBS1wZx-ZPEN2IcijYJSbjElkzlufOsvgBKP3IZfn1Zp3QTFxGir-6Kl2yA/s1600/Ozyptila+praticola+Cedar+River+map+for+blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIcnpkSyaPxvLwKFj_TAN4IYCvSHya4XOp0bbQO2jmhacAYPmzs0kT1xVgj4LA4vxTkhJqhHNhBddR7gJBS1wZx-ZPEN2IcijYJSbjElkzlufOsvgBKP3IZfn1Zp3QTFxGir-6Kl2yA/s320/Ozyptila+praticola+Cedar+River+map+for+blog3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Pins and circles indicate moss and cardboard<br />
trap samples, respectively. Blue, yellow and red markers<br />
indicate adult <i>O. praticola</i>, juvenile <i>O. ?praticola</i>, and no<br />
<i>O. praticola </i>found, respectively.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
My ongoing search for the outer edges of the local range of the introduced European spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) brought me recently to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar_River_(Washington)">Cedar River</a>. This spring, I set out cardboard live traps at five locations along the Cedar River between 154th Place SE in Renton and Landsburg Road in Ravensdale, and later collected juvenile <i>Ozyptila</i> probably-<i>praticola</i> from traps at two of them. To confirm which species of <i>Ozyptila</i> was present, I re-set traps or sifted tree trunk moss at thirteen river valley sites between the Interstate 405 overpass in Renton and Landsburg Road in Ravensdale. Logistical constraints dictated which collection method I used.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLzT63GgNMBqMbj8mQKuZHzgEzv3UrlbuKEIl8speYK5VnlC413ABaXrKULekex2WbzeUMJ6TVm4rcnU6iLaF_bVL_9RsRtTvUGBHjB67kziQBl7dTEUqUXcutw0BKLxo0dV4sI2hiQ/s1600/IMGP0103-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="813" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLzT63GgNMBqMbj8mQKuZHzgEzv3UrlbuKEIl8speYK5VnlC413ABaXrKULekex2WbzeUMJ6TVm4rcnU6iLaF_bVL_9RsRtTvUGBHjB67kziQBl7dTEUqUXcutw0BKLxo0dV4sI2hiQ/s200/IMGP0103-crop.jpg" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> sifted from<br />
tree trunk moss at Habenicht Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To date, I have found mature <i>O. praticola</i> from the I-405 overpass to as far upstream as <a href="https://mtsgreenway.org/?cm-map-location=fred-v-habenicht-rotary-park">Fred V. Habenicht Rotary Park</a> in Maple Valley (blue icons on map, <i>above</i>). Upstream of Habenicht Park, the only mature <i>Ozyptila</i> I've collected were the native <i>O. pacifica.</i> Notably, I didn't find <i>O. pacifica</i> at Habenicht Park or any site downstream from there. As I've <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/03/ozyptila-praticola-found-in-tree-trunk.html">mentioned before</a>, I've never found the native <i>O. pacifica</i> and the introduced <i>O. praticola</i> present at the same location.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-21105462820175129782018-05-31T09:31:00.001-07:002018-09-28T19:47:30.797-07:0029-May-2018 East Wenatchee and Culver Gulch, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6GIljhO5TuEPeGOYwtEq9p9NVkCtkA53l04WDinRrihFSWx5PWqgVq0_aT5FPJA3FOjii74SP-lohjt6PAGwxChOKTe61b_ODZs1L-YHS7taEWoWIKt9uGRv5_LzRn9xZzuXyjo6vw/s1600/2018-5-29+general+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6GIljhO5TuEPeGOYwtEq9p9NVkCtkA53l04WDinRrihFSWx5PWqgVq0_aT5FPJA3FOjii74SP-lohjt6PAGwxChOKTe61b_ODZs1L-YHS7taEWoWIKt9uGRv5_LzRn9xZzuXyjo6vw/s320/2018-5-29+general+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Two gridspaces in one day! Were we crazy to attempt such a mission, which also required over 300 miles of driving? I am happy to report that it was completely doable because we had a 10-15 species head start in both gridspaces (the goal is 21 or more). In addition, Rod Crawford had selected sampling sites that were so easy to access that we could dedicate all of our non-driving time to collecting. I never even had to put on my hiking boots. And so we made our first trip of the year over Snoqualmie Pass into eastern Washington to collect at <a href="http://www.chelanpud.org/parks-and-recreation/our-parks/day-use-parks/kirby-billingsley-hydro-park">Kirby Billingsley Hydro Park</a> in East Wenatchee, and Culver Gulch, which is the site of the ghost town of <a href="http://www.ghosttownsofwashington.com/blewett.html">Blewett</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Hydro Park</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lw5pJgKhRQTALfTlt8WCIJ1gZEb2W_Ou2gQZUAgOjNoRNhD-7W49m7Ewj-RWf2mzN-O9eztdMo6loturpsulIkdxEPx9mQ3nPLnWJyfagpAco2jvMIK3rVEKoPhQBTkbZK4tHZ9wLQ/s1600/2018-5-29+Hydro+Park+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lw5pJgKhRQTALfTlt8WCIJ1gZEb2W_Ou2gQZUAgOjNoRNhD-7W49m7Ewj-RWf2mzN-O9eztdMo6loturpsulIkdxEPx9mQ3nPLnWJyfagpAco2jvMIK3rVEKoPhQBTkbZK4tHZ9wLQ/s200/2018-5-29+Hydro+Park+site+location+map.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location of Hydro Park.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Qe0pu4jdJFuBqZaLzNTYIU3DySEhOlbZftYld2diG6pilPEfSOjO39QIvdjTORWRnlt89jTLnJLqol4y-yVx4AKMUPIE8EbCHdF_fk1GmhCPN6fzmOabYN5NkKKyuMgoXjsiys7XEw/s1600/IMGP0869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Qe0pu4jdJFuBqZaLzNTYIU3DySEhOlbZftYld2diG6pilPEfSOjO39QIvdjTORWRnlt89jTLnJLqol4y-yVx4AKMUPIE8EbCHdF_fk1GmhCPN6fzmOabYN5NkKKyuMgoXjsiys7XEw/s200/IMGP0869.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swamped picnic table and shore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The partial sample from this gridspace had come from a commercial fruit orchard, so Rod chose a collecting site that should provide a complementary suite of species. Hydro Park seemed just the ticket, with riparian habitats, buildings to collect house spiders from, and even some pine trees where I could tap fallen cones.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8KHv5WAv1mpFBlCwt7N0HRlIVMAlkhbYuX6_070sZM6B0k33djDblT1-MxsGhs7UFwXtIUS50yVjOqGi-6gHuuLgLd4OqT2K8vnv4IZP9uC4IvM2LSPaTfMgXPJnojfAYhpz7ICr7g/s1600/IMGP0893-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="743" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8KHv5WAv1mpFBlCwt7N0HRlIVMAlkhbYuX6_070sZM6B0k33djDblT1-MxsGhs7UFwXtIUS50yVjOqGi-6gHuuLgLd4OqT2K8vnv4IZP9uC4IvM2LSPaTfMgXPJnojfAYhpz7ICr7g/s200/IMGP0893-crop.jpg" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Phidippus audax</i> from fence</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnRG0MYhSgVn_mMuQzfgZi0qHs1XnrRMRgsQ0chSyftyh-8wi4N4kfrsMMG_EUD7AjLop3aov1y06kjGQstyOS5DV1KRZRfPTWGaWbNCW7TacxbSOL-efZIKIsFOL-0HN9g2urUne3A/s1600/DSCN6476-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="794" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnRG0MYhSgVn_mMuQzfgZi0qHs1XnrRMRgsQ0chSyftyh-8wi4N4kfrsMMG_EUD7AjLop3aov1y06kjGQstyOS5DV1KRZRfPTWGaWbNCW7TacxbSOL-efZIKIsFOL-0HN9g2urUne3A/s200/DSCN6476-crop.jpg" width="188" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Theridion murarium.</i><br />
Copyright Rod Crawford</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As it turned out, some of the riparian habitats were damaged or unavailable due to very high river levels. In addition, the interior of the bathroom building had recently been painted and was completely spider-free. Still, we were able to collect 16 species, only two of which duplicated previous records. I picked at least six identifiable species from fences, signs and building exteriors including the eastern U.S. transplant <i>Phidippus audax</i> (Salticidae) and the native but seldom collected <i>Theridion murarium</i> (Theridiidae).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawhCcUIRAU87jSN76mP1AV6wp6NFw6mkgxfiH50PQDHQOGpSAOOntHRID8EClXzuBJEawWYD1iyxw9aH-Dy5g_P98ki_HcZ-Q-FrdnBliw38hTZ6aZi4K4TbiCAWwRKz4OnB0LMwP7A/s1600/IMGP0895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawhCcUIRAU87jSN76mP1AV6wp6NFw6mkgxfiH50PQDHQOGpSAOOntHRID8EClXzuBJEawWYD1iyxw9aH-Dy5g_P98ki_HcZ-Q-FrdnBliw38hTZ6aZi4K4TbiCAWwRKz4OnB0LMwP7A/s200/IMGP0895.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of insects in lawn cones, <br />
but no spiders</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rod spotted some Scots pine (<i>Pinus sylvestris</i>) cones that had fallen on the lawn. I wasn't going to bother tapping them, since cones on lawn tend to be spider-free. But I decided to take a look after all, since I was waiting for Rod to finish sifting litter anyway. And for all I knew, lawn cones might be more spider-friendly in eastern Washington! Nope. I gave up after 25 cones since the only thing they contained was insects. Oodles and oodles of insects.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7sOOC228Sm5Mv0c-_St3t5xCCIQnx5D3a7i0bZBNYvnf0Ii7OkZi49zSRD1QwJUtFqhhmC0PKkCL8Z7CmnpV8mTzMoMCq0AUH9fRg7i2Elrah87tnYGd4JrZUeiWUDy4bGcxfIe3OA/s1600/IMGP0900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7sOOC228Sm5Mv0c-_St3t5xCCIQnx5D3a7i0bZBNYvnf0Ii7OkZi49zSRD1QwJUtFqhhmC0PKkCL8Z7CmnpV8mTzMoMCq0AUH9fRg7i2Elrah87tnYGd4JrZUeiWUDy4bGcxfIe3OA/s200/IMGP0900.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good cone source at <br />
eastern park entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgDJoZUqVU26BtGFomSwIfu8k1nFKhckz-UCBLvnCaMJ0gt219zCLWQBOcKxtkLFt366E4efTFRPz4oKb96-pQZQqxb5JZGDkvaj_DZakD9bw2nUHeq9Mhnd9qqug30issXOm9zp1fw/s1600/IMGP0905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgDJoZUqVU26BtGFomSwIfu8k1nFKhckz-UCBLvnCaMJ0gt219zCLWQBOcKxtkLFt366E4efTFRPz4oKb96-pQZQqxb5JZGDkvaj_DZakD9bw2nUHeq9Mhnd9qqug30issXOm9zp1fw/s200/IMGP0905.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen cone microhabitat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Luckily Rod's online trip-planning had revealed another cone tapping possibility at the other end of the park, and that one panned out. Small groups of pines (I'm uncertain of the species) had been planted on either side of the eastern park entrance, and cones and a thin layer of needle litter had been allowed to accumulate over the landscaping gravel used to surface the planting beds. The spider fauna wasn't rich, but it was present. I tapped 50 cones and collected 9 spiders from at least 6 species. Those identifiable were <i>Bassaniana utahensis</i> (Thomisidae), <i>Theridion melanurum</i> (Theridiidae), and <i>Erigone aletris</i> (Linyphiidae).<br />
<br />
<b>Culver Gulch</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCfHBEPyzSvb-bqZSNFO1euZRp5e0pyiNpf1dRX1QXNs7cW3z3pkYmeV7wu7NLZTZy_7resEekMdIvBa2WzIdwdL-Wp0Tr9MEyGhoTuTIVQCbprWRBOKn7x8vz00PrNkBEG8eFY2arQ/s1600/2018-5-29+Peshastin+Creek+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCfHBEPyzSvb-bqZSNFO1euZRp5e0pyiNpf1dRX1QXNs7cW3z3pkYmeV7wu7NLZTZy_7resEekMdIvBa2WzIdwdL-Wp0Tr9MEyGhoTuTIVQCbprWRBOKn7x8vz00PrNkBEG8eFY2arQ/s200/2018-5-29+Peshastin+Creek+site+location+map.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location of Culver Gulch cone sites</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last July Rod and I collected spiders along <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2017/07/12-july-2017-ruby-creek-washington.html">Ruby Creek</a>, a tributary of Peshastin Creek. Unfortunately the habitats were drier than we'd expected, and we fell a few species short of the minimum gridspace goal of 21. But that meant that this visit, we only needed to pick up a few species to put us over the top. It was very doable.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGowgnERfVlxWYaUkgeN0uL6K10wOczd7a-hxGtlbyrSzf7gdHNUBlwrpR1zU0zjTGfkk4MWxa4bh_nmhcdRpHFGLIl96Hu4w8Z7_s8QpiU9N2l5TTsUjjxLH1zQ7INJN2K0D9oSMSg/s1600/IMGP0914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGowgnERfVlxWYaUkgeN0uL6K10wOczd7a-hxGtlbyrSzf7gdHNUBlwrpR1zU0zjTGfkk4MWxa4bh_nmhcdRpHFGLIl96Hu4w8Z7_s8QpiU9N2l5TTsUjjxLH1zQ7INJN2K0D9oSMSg/s200/IMGP0914.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen cones in an old gold<br />
rush town...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8BoNnMKRsX70ZSPrW7tqPessY_cJp4KD82wJ11G-PfUwk0OUy5gZhU0A4KahBWc2xadNdgfJpFUaOg4QQ6eoxTzUESyeByozBgrh0VWuYO73en8HDTnws1c8buuN89YXlBF3zZ8W6g/s1600/IMGP0919-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="822" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8BoNnMKRsX70ZSPrW7tqPessY_cJp4KD82wJ11G-PfUwk0OUy5gZhU0A4KahBWc2xadNdgfJpFUaOg4QQ6eoxTzUESyeByozBgrh0VWuYO73en8HDTnws1c8buuN89YXlBF3zZ8W6g/s200/IMGP0919-crop.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...held these silver-sided beauties<br />
(<i>Euryopis formosa</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We stopped along SR-97 at the historical marker for Blewett, a former mining town situated near the confluence of Culver Gulch and Peshastin Creek. There were numerous fully open Douglas-fir (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) cones on the dry and dusty ground at the edge of the parking area, so I got right to tapping. Almost immediately I found <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/p/read-our-paper.html">my old heartthrob, the beautiful "pine cone spider" <i>Euryopis formosa</i> (Theridiidae)</a>. As usual, we didn't find the species in any other microhabitat there. In total I collected 7 spiders and 3 identifiable species (<i>Dipoena sp. #1</i> and <i>Micaria pulicaria</i> were the other two) from a set of 50 cones.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_XqTAsh80YCEcqBkBJ162aSdjtFAeoYht8EmyDGAYi5aR5Woh4AaNxRhqSAYTw0a_pFzmoCHC8eB1Gnj5Z19oGNl7NP4xaKCUKnkFCpV94hWQgRab8X8rWgBYend-B0zk1Ndl7VPjA/s1600/IMGP0927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_XqTAsh80YCEcqBkBJ162aSdjtFAeoYht8EmyDGAYi5aR5Woh4AaNxRhqSAYTw0a_pFzmoCHC8eB1Gnj5Z19oGNl7NP4xaKCUKnkFCpV94hWQgRab8X8rWgBYend-B0zk1Ndl7VPjA/s200/IMGP0927.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cones among blooming <br />
lupines</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszbylxv1KaZ30aVEzhf56t_Yo-muiV5GAn71uDv_EzA2af3aK1mcw1mUF1tQ5HNxd5ZnFpnZztKq1iQZAwbqZsm4k_HWo-Um_eSDHDO_4M9xvkh69sGIQMlz8aZWbYZlSrhQUymGyxQ/s1600/IMGP0938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszbylxv1KaZ30aVEzhf56t_Yo-muiV5GAn71uDv_EzA2af3aK1mcw1mUF1tQ5HNxd5ZnFpnZztKq1iQZAwbqZsm4k_HWo-Um_eSDHDO_4M9xvkh69sGIQMlz8aZWbYZlSrhQUymGyxQ/s200/IMGP0938.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stamping mill ruins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next I crossed SR-97 to check out the cone tapping possibilities under a small ponderosa pine (<i>P. ponderosa</i>) that Rod had spotted. It was too small, unfortunately, to produce cones, but it did lead me to another lovely set of open Douglas-fir cones (not to mention the ruins of the old Blewett stamping mill!). I tapped 50 cones there and got nothing but <i>E. formosa</i>, 2 males and 13 juveniles. <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2015/09/in-search-of-leslie-maurice-cockerell.html">The <i>E. formosa</i> type specimen was collected in Bear, Idaho by the mining engineer Leslie Maurice Cockerell</a>. I wonder if any of Blewett's miners ever noticed the creature with the precious metal sheen living amongst them.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5dKq03MOmCgJYWUDk5fI0ydcO5S0yeF0XSD90MYKq-PcMT12ZcEPdyY2LT8L7mkfUohXibMTiTqub3vYCBCyk0-72aPqQu1ILOO_AEiLsqh9cWUUu6-Zx1LUfbRE-YkNTI2AhJNowQ/s1600/IMGP0898-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1350" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5dKq03MOmCgJYWUDk5fI0ydcO5S0yeF0XSD90MYKq-PcMT12ZcEPdyY2LT8L7mkfUohXibMTiTqub3vYCBCyk0-72aPqQu1ILOO_AEiLsqh9cWUUu6-Zx1LUfbRE-YkNTI2AhJNowQ/s400/IMGP0898-crop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-bellied marmots (<i>Marmota flaviventris</i>) picnicking on the lawn at Hydro Park.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-8787065664481213722018-05-21T22:02:00.000-07:002018-05-22T08:14:27.398-07:0014-May-2018 Van Zandt, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIU2SauMRGJcbl9Rrr7ihiysKIgccfYTAsuO2UxZEDTaPxcVfWD49GBSGGmxpyUKLh9JutPFbiKBthMAbU_RlplzU_IS9j8Ifex0E0gkK5C7txQnEI_oDmBLkg60k5K7XrH8TQvmnvtQ/s1600/2018-5-14+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIU2SauMRGJcbl9Rrr7ihiysKIgccfYTAsuO2UxZEDTaPxcVfWD49GBSGGmxpyUKLh9JutPFbiKBthMAbU_RlplzU_IS9j8Ifex0E0gkK5C7txQnEI_oDmBLkg60k5K7XrH8TQvmnvtQ/s320/2018-5-14+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rod Crawford still has several gridspaces in Whatcom County that he wants to sample that are also of interest to me in my search for the introduced thomisid, <i>Ozyptila praticola</i>. With this dual purpose in mind, we spent the day collecting in the vicinity of Van Zandt, Washington. I've already found <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2017/08/16-aug-2017-mount-vernon-and-bellingham.html"><i>O. praticola</i> in Bellingham</a> and, most recently, in <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/05/2-may-2018-lynden-washington.html">Lynden</a>. However, neither of us turned up any in recent visits to nearby <a href="https://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/Journal26.html#8822">Nugents Corner</a> or <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2015/10/25-oct-2015-nooksack-cemetery-everson.html">Everson</a>, so I had no particular expectations for what we might find this day.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3of-5UB298ujNHon9gFIz6cY43l1iDhqRpIKn7vCsrsLaQEsYKsIHU0g_xM-YWABDoIfboy_OU54OZT0AeKM2RWN6osrO37uR5Qi7-EJXDk-dqSHxntrbYUIpgHKGhoZ4q91WzPsTQ/s1600/IMGP0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3of-5UB298ujNHon9gFIz6cY43l1iDhqRpIKn7vCsrsLaQEsYKsIHU0g_xM-YWABDoIfboy_OU54OZT0AeKM2RWN6osrO37uR5Qi7-EJXDk-dqSHxntrbYUIpgHKGhoZ4q91WzPsTQ/s200/IMGP0338.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cemetery cone source in the distance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZhuuSyumHNvgQYV8TxPmuaa55xls0aQsNVgCeNMcYoqvd-tL0BcOFHAw4afpkM9HDa7YCUYncnedqiTtzKr-deMa6EMhHLT5ATgiZQ2V5RWeyPRyH4kVVCpIZukZZkQzuKEqvJ1d1g/s1600/IMGP0342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZhuuSyumHNvgQYV8TxPmuaa55xls0aQsNVgCeNMcYoqvd-tL0BcOFHAw4afpkM9HDa7YCUYncnedqiTtzKr-deMa6EMhHLT5ATgiZQ2V5RWeyPRyH4kVVCpIZukZZkQzuKEqvJ1d1g/s200/IMGP0342.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fallen cone microhabitat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We started the day at the Van Zandt Cemetery, where I quickly homed in on a batch of fallen cones dropped by a huge Douglas-fir (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) tree in the cemetery's back corner. I tapped 61 cones and got only two spiders, but both were identifiable: a female <i>Micaria pulicaria</i> (Gnaphosidae) and a juvenile <i>Bassaniana utahensis</i> (Thomisidae).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJXASyQSpqS2Go2nXAKFpqGB59xWt98F8GGRj3oqqnQa9cXG8MOBMTsWn0cOeVIsAXRkfcrV6wVXOB1ilueiRlWU1bfB2hzAdV2gs08ZI9xubIFbD6myNxgZsldO7pxH08t3WfURDmQ/s1600/IMGP0347+Platnickina+tincta+-+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="694" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJXASyQSpqS2Go2nXAKFpqGB59xWt98F8GGRj3oqqnQa9cXG8MOBMTsWn0cOeVIsAXRkfcrV6wVXOB1ilueiRlWU1bfB2hzAdV2gs08ZI9xubIFbD6myNxgZsldO7pxH08t3WfURDmQ/s200/IMGP0347+Platnickina+tincta+-+crop.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molting <i>Platnickina tincta</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3jqd83TdhzSnavo8Plsl-EzzOl4iRdhy1zsGVoKCr5-_FZY5nY06p6EvkCgCJW1aW8rjg8lSQ5UM1SDlhd5vTvC8LF3ybrkqt59-7qMuG2eYl7ITguaJOV0onLLIBI1oiPDtaLhrmQ/s1600/IMGP0356+Platnickina+tincta-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="777" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3jqd83TdhzSnavo8Plsl-EzzOl4iRdhy1zsGVoKCr5-_FZY5nY06p6EvkCgCJW1aW8rjg8lSQ5UM1SDlhd5vTvC8LF3ybrkqt59-7qMuG2eYl7ITguaJOV0onLLIBI1oiPDtaLhrmQ/s200/IMGP0356+Platnickina+tincta-crop.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mating <i>Platnickina tincta</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The top rail of the cemetery's chain link fence was already uncomfortably hot to the touch by the time I started perusing it, but that didn't stop numerous spiders from using it. <i>Salticus scenicus</i> (Salticidae) were especially noticeable running along the rails, as well as darting in and out of the narrow gaps between rails and the rail sleeves that connect rail pipes end-to-end. But the most exciting rail-running salticid I found was a male <i>Synageles.</i> <i>Synageles</i> has been collected only twice before in Washington, once by me during the <a href="https://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/Journal19.html#7025">Roy BioBlitz</a> in 2009. It is so rare and was so long ago that I had totally forgotten about it until Rod reminded me. He posted a nice photo of one of the spiders from Roy <a href="https://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/album7025.html">here</a>. The underside of the fence rails was also a busy realm, especially for the theridiid <i>Platnickina tincta</i> (<i>Theridion tinctum</i>). Individuals of this species were using the space to both molt and mate.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSGTZo1_9U8vuVDt3ca-DhlSvh79HQl07MZuVXPEzYAhng1Sw9kM25NCKKoT83UkhO_OPU16mEw9VwrXz3VxVKIq068DTAo_vdc_BXqCY-qjHs1_RKMgr7GhFD25d2_W_etJKgt5-GA/s1600/IMGP0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSGTZo1_9U8vuVDt3ca-DhlSvh79HQl07MZuVXPEzYAhng1Sw9kM25NCKKoT83UkhO_OPU16mEw9VwrXz3VxVKIq068DTAo_vdc_BXqCY-qjHs1_RKMgr7GhFD25d2_W_etJKgt5-GA/s200/IMGP0406.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rod sifting litter near one of my <br />
moss source trees</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRiNGQadslXZCAHSoVasM41Q4ISQwwQktYvZvtkXlWn9Kxw6CHhyRMh7JBXZeqgd-n7Bem981HIEQ6st5K_HgJp5q6sy8YU9KjhmQTi3x7WdwZJf9Kn-pPd-acmowLq57ZDvbjN0ZSUA/s1600/IMGP0408-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="1031" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRiNGQadslXZCAHSoVasM41Q4ISQwwQktYvZvtkXlWn9Kxw6CHhyRMh7JBXZeqgd-n7Bem981HIEQ6st5K_HgJp5q6sy8YU9KjhmQTi3x7WdwZJf9Kn-pPd-acmowLq57ZDvbjN0ZSUA/s200/IMGP0408-crop.jpg" width="151" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male <i>Callobius pictus</i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From there we moved on to Hard Scrabble Creek Gulch, an invitingly shady oasis on what was turning out to be quite a hot day. While Rod sifted litter, I sifted moss, then sifted more moss. The usual denizens were present, although I found no <i>Ozyptila</i> of any species. Though I'm pretty new to moss sifting, I've quickly learned that when I remove a slab of moss from a tree trunk and see that I've broken through a quarter-sized tunnel, I should keep a lookout for <i>Callobius </i>(Amaurobiidae) making a fast break from my sifting cloth. They can really move, especially on a hot day like this!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGQC0dlW6Zf013q9_tr68wT-nIiGX5A8itDzloiN-MjxlZgtDQwXXBA9nQz4tdQtutNKyYfB9DtgxBm0XbE_3JRG5o1E2YJ2QDKL3dyDV99vd-94vue6fgRTTY2VFxpN9AZTUik9AUw/s1600/IMGP0422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMGQC0dlW6Zf013q9_tr68wT-nIiGX5A8itDzloiN-MjxlZgtDQwXXBA9nQz4tdQtutNKyYfB9DtgxBm0XbE_3JRG5o1E2YJ2QDKL3dyDV99vd-94vue6fgRTTY2VFxpN9AZTUik9AUw/s200/IMGP0422.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lush riparian vegetation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieVLTJevTKDf3Do4XgHeBzFlZP-hVTlz4aOWo8HLFpizYzSIKxPza6ibgi4NOfhwrI7LYY5vBYAhRhTEALOvmG5dG7kfcDfz3Ed5JcI8MHvS9Iro_W-YZKaBOQe2lchFhi2tfyh5gyA/s1600/IMGP0438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieVLTJevTKDf3Do4XgHeBzFlZP-hVTlz4aOWo8HLFpizYzSIKxPza6ibgi4NOfhwrI7LYY5vBYAhRhTEALOvmG5dG7kfcDfz3Ed5JcI8MHvS9Iro_W-YZKaBOQe2lchFhi2tfyh5gyA/s200/IMGP0438.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piggyback plant (<i><a href="http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=Tolmiea&Species=menziesii">Tolmiea menziesii</a></i>) <br />
blooming by creek</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By this time I was not only hot but also feeling grimy from all the spores, pollen and other dusty stuff that billows out of dry moss when you harvest and sift it. Sweeping riparian vegetation and looking for spiders in aerial webs next to a babbling Hard Scrabble Creek proved to be just what I needed. Feeling refreshed, I collected riparian tree trunk moss and had one more sifting session before calling it a day.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-RDAPD0L9S8wgXBHxcNUMRRLcsc5_LPanIECyGS-Vkyn6oaWSlv9ijG0WOEzqxsLlNsBdgit61-whM9sFGNO5lULlqaLcysNN9toHm9B1fcfDPDqOSpzqQA6ykL-zGaKODSfzb1Cqw/s1600/IMGP0452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-RDAPD0L9S8wgXBHxcNUMRRLcsc5_LPanIECyGS-Vkyn6oaWSlv9ijG0WOEzqxsLlNsBdgit61-whM9sFGNO5lULlqaLcysNN9toHm9B1fcfDPDqOSpzqQA6ykL-zGaKODSfzb1Cqw/s200/IMGP0452.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oops, left in the field too long</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3c3GX0NEgbHYFK1FZUGMu7ILADieoW16pThW96b7SwVlo3fRtfXxsfEpno1VKPmkjNz-VbQIkAo0ujji0nQC2Am1kOraECE1l8MA3PtAQRF4ItZjJEMUwlW5a4nuRDUaP_xrQXRiHw/s1600/IMGP0379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3c3GX0NEgbHYFK1FZUGMu7ILADieoW16pThW96b7SwVlo3fRtfXxsfEpno1VKPmkjNz-VbQIkAo0ujji0nQC2Am1kOraECE1l8MA3PtAQRF4ItZjJEMUwlW5a4nuRDUaP_xrQXRiHw/s200/IMGP0379.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headstone a handy height<br />
for labeling samples</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On the way home, Rod and I stopped briefly in Bryant and Arlington to pick up some cardboard live traps that I hadn't been able to retrieve as soon as I would have liked. Having been in place for over a month, and made of thin, single-sided cardboard, they were a little the worse for wear thanks to local gastropods. But the real disappointment came when I opened them and dozens upon dozens of baby earwigs (Order Dermaptera) tumbled out. Every channel was crammed with them. The only spider daring to enter one of these earwig nurseries was a <i>Salticus scenicus,</i> which had sensibly sequestered itself in a silken retreat.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9rHr-kNql40527ymCFuwVpi33VtDzgbYkCb9DESWq3tIsPpUM0xPlNnJE3hN7xGlggUnfcY6W-PpbP8yGoGuZhCSpVflcO7-SZYHaZxn4-BjNgOIwVxSuIWtj_9sukRc51gFK8-xqg/s1600/IMGP0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9rHr-kNql40527ymCFuwVpi33VtDzgbYkCb9DESWq3tIsPpUM0xPlNnJE3hN7xGlggUnfcY6W-PpbP8yGoGuZhCSpVflcO7-SZYHaZxn4-BjNgOIwVxSuIWtj_9sukRc51gFK8-xqg/s400/IMGP0385.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These horses near the cemetery studiously looked away whenever <br />
I got out the camera, but otherwise watched everything we did.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-43397977164270339382018-05-21T12:32:00.001-07:002018-06-01T09:39:31.743-07:007-May-2018 Alpha, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3yNYYX2txMQskcEVWe8_2iRkJUj3yA6y0X52DAeVSVpywu8PTwtWTLQRp1SeqjnRVjkrswj0ttJoFVlad7EKFzbh-O7LZBeHOiyGUuxeCBsFHsAsAuU8ddqb9g3SBYq2ubhqmsNs_w/s1600/20185-8+Alpha+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3yNYYX2txMQskcEVWe8_2iRkJUj3yA6y0X52DAeVSVpywu8PTwtWTLQRp1SeqjnRVjkrswj0ttJoFVlad7EKFzbh-O7LZBeHOiyGUuxeCBsFHsAsAuU8ddqb9g3SBYq2ubhqmsNs_w/s320/20185-8+Alpha+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Chehalis locality not shown.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rod Crawford was really pining for a field day in Lewis County, which meant a lot of driving for me. But the weather was favorable and the daylight hours long, so I agreed. After all, how could I resist a destination called Alpha? Our primary sampling sites were working forests west of Alpha on Centralia-Alpha Road, including a recent clearcut in a Douglas-fir (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) and alder (<i>Alnus</i> sp.) woods and a second-growth woods dominated by western hemlock (<i>Tsuga heterophylla</i>).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAiaM6KkBWaXWthE1K8JFyLecuA_IDdbSKkB5neD8X6t1jQ1CD_Z0bhR-PJxDTHG-130D9pBptb5w4mLjySXyQFzvfx6S3mvRCcqz7U5-xJf6KN-uvy4vRfShJcy-gsfV-jBLIF2exQ/s1600/IMGP0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAiaM6KkBWaXWthE1K8JFyLecuA_IDdbSKkB5neD8X6t1jQ1CD_Z0bhR-PJxDTHG-130D9pBptb5w4mLjySXyQFzvfx6S3mvRCcqz7U5-xJf6KN-uvy4vRfShJcy-gsfV-jBLIF2exQ/s200/IMGP0126.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The underside of a dew-bejeweled<br />
agelenid web</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNs3BKlY8CY8Nqv9FVTlZdz5FBgcKusgquyREKxAKnLgLvJx4ca-zSx8sKmulSPSctGNDcUX68oUNou4J47dBoq2PYXvTKrPLEqtpUagdB2Ck3A59-JMkqrc2MLn6L9k0pTv1UpB5xA/s1600/IMGP0129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNs3BKlY8CY8Nqv9FVTlZdz5FBgcKusgquyREKxAKnLgLvJx4ca-zSx8sKmulSPSctGNDcUX68oUNou4J47dBoq2PYXvTKrPLEqtpUagdB2Ck3A59-JMkqrc2MLn6L9k0pTv1UpB5xA/s200/IMGP0129.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny linyphiid web in mud<br />
crack</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Morning dew was still very heavy on roadside vegetation, making it easy to spot the webs of certain agelenids and linyphiids. But where the sun hit dry ground, lycosids did abound! After an initial perusal of the dewy and the dry, I spent most of my day sifting moss gathered from tree trunks in the two forest types. I was, of course, most interested in seeing which species of <i>Ozyptila</i> was present. I only found juveniles, but they didn't appear to be <i>O. praticola</i>. Rod collected the only mature <i>Ozyptila</i> for the day, a male <i>O. pacifica</i> from leaf litter.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbRiRpMjDD_jW-utT0mT0wp9wfIco-c8ABL48UkICBK-tVB4N-tOB4wWfsrL4NPsPy8svI8CuWdKU64Ck36TJnNb4jKqAOh9qt7wnmtZSSTh9aHrF-26Q13TTqI3yTup8KkwMJzyo_w/s1600/IMGP0180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbRiRpMjDD_jW-utT0mT0wp9wfIco-c8ABL48UkICBK-tVB4N-tOB4wWfsrL4NPsPy8svI8CuWdKU64Ck36TJnNb4jKqAOh9qt7wnmtZSSTh9aHrF-26Q13TTqI3yTup8KkwMJzyo_w/s200/IMGP0180.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neighbor's tree generously<br />
provided...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooOP2zcdpwJNg1yNfOMdhgInSmwvi2fixbQoO9Oc0b_bzRTjSLU809C1XuHZUwv-vVldve8H-hmL7o9egywM-POkdXzka-wIOuWhcuFAQAANinbfIvWg8XOftOIJKCApm6zHHl1fC9w/s1600/IMGP0179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooOP2zcdpwJNg1yNfOMdhgInSmwvi2fixbQoO9Oc0b_bzRTjSLU809C1XuHZUwv-vVldve8H-hmL7o9egywM-POkdXzka-wIOuWhcuFAQAANinbfIvWg8XOftOIJKCApm6zHHl1fC9w/s200/IMGP0179.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...fallen cones full of surprises.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It wasn't until we moved on to the Alpha Cemetery that we found any cones for me to tap. A set of 50 Douglas-fir cones lying in landscaping debris just outside the cemetery's back fence produced zero spiders, but I had more luck with the 25 black pine (<i>Pinus nigra</i>) cones that had fallen into the cemetery from the neighbor's tree. They only contained two spiders, but both were the introduced species <i>Zodarion </i><i>rubidum </i>(Zodariidae)! I <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2016/07/first-records-of-zodarion-rubidum.html">first discovered</a> this species in Washington in 2015. And oddly, with the exception of a few specimens found by another collector recently in tree litter and rotten wood near Husum, all of our <i>Zodarion</i> specimens in Washington have been found by me in fallen conifer cones (see map below).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrnNhJBRdknXxCArEQ2SLOqRAeG3F9GEkjUEIAVcM5-_Zoi8JNmLrI0xhFxjOaqenKKopcOJJt1oBoo61g7HtWkMUzrz1-624dhBs7psBVAjTHxKPgp94KSaK0wvShlJRn57hM7NFlg/s1600/IMGP0186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrnNhJBRdknXxCArEQ2SLOqRAeG3F9GEkjUEIAVcM5-_Zoi8JNmLrI0xhFxjOaqenKKopcOJJt1oBoo61g7HtWkMUzrz1-624dhBs7psBVAjTHxKPgp94KSaK0wvShlJRn57hM7NFlg/s200/IMGP0186.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A long line of shore pine ringed the<br />
shuttered building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW22p-elq1Cfu3r4-ZtaQsgp9CHRK3nwnsfY1Fyv_Gjl5vFsCk9gFrx5rt2cwfGuy8SSk9MO6uzhZmd5lCGCttGft0jIqPtb1AghrJ2TVbn91360gtsT5sWZMFQ4VA2Um0UelzRtKPNg/s1600/IMGP0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW22p-elq1Cfu3r4-ZtaQsgp9CHRK3nwnsfY1Fyv_Gjl5vFsCk9gFrx5rt2cwfGuy8SSk9MO6uzhZmd5lCGCttGft0jIqPtb1AghrJ2TVbn91360gtsT5sWZMFQ4VA2Um0UelzRtKPNg/s200/IMGP0183.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cones were as vacant as the <br />
building they surrounded</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We made a final stop in Chehalis at a shuttered business near the airport so that I could have one more crack at tapping fallen cones. Here, finally, was a plentiful deposit of cones! And they were the native shore pine (<i>Pinus contorta</i> var <i>contorta</i>), too. But 50 cones produced only one juvenile dictynid. Still, having found <i>Zodarion</i> at the cemetery, I couldn't be too disappointed in the cone-tapping aspect of the day.<br />
<br />
Be sure to read <a href="https://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/Journal28.html#6626">Rod's account of the day</a>, too!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7L4Yp5yE2gKYpAjOQA3f_9sGzBuBu_jo-rajmNhgBoWI03hF1dlkdXZWA9nY34Shug219CL0MfyhSmxugKAleKGkg0QPggExGz8v2BcQQgB2NxRiE5wWls4YgmeG5NOzdkg5x5snPw/s1600/Zodarion+map+2018-5-21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7L4Yp5yE2gKYpAjOQA3f_9sGzBuBu_jo-rajmNhgBoWI03hF1dlkdXZWA9nY34Shug219CL0MfyhSmxugKAleKGkg0QPggExGz8v2BcQQgB2NxRiE5wWls4YgmeG5NOzdkg5x5snPw/s400/Zodarion+map+2018-5-21.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location of <i>Zodarion rubidum</i> found in Washington state. Blue and yellow<br />
pins indicate mature and juvenile specimens, respectively</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-30162115805381219662018-05-20T17:25:00.002-07:002018-05-21T09:28:28.828-07:00Ozyptila praticola In Tree Trunk Moss On The Tolt River<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2Mk1kd5fIPsw1_gC20JsXeUj-wnFmRZcuqwRbvPiL8MFdw9B9vslB4it8HrOQTZQL4EKMomfSyvXKqDONQrzzLoLdRuSyWsXo8l0uOo9FQHOGYr9b5lbbP0xytMitL6OAA_OmT4yfg/s1600/Lower+Tolt+River+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2Mk1kd5fIPsw1_gC20JsXeUj-wnFmRZcuqwRbvPiL8MFdw9B9vslB4it8HrOQTZQL4EKMomfSyvXKqDONQrzzLoLdRuSyWsXo8l0uOo9FQHOGYr9b5lbbP0xytMitL6OAA_OmT4yfg/s320/Lower+Tolt+River+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Pin and squares indicate cone and moss<br />
samples, respectively. Blue, yellow and red markers indicate<br />
adult <i>O. praticola</i>, juvenile <i>O. ?praticola</i>, or no <i>O. ?praticola</i><br />
found, respectively.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since learning a few months ago that the European crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) can be <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/03/ozyptila-praticola-found-in-tree-trunk.html">found in tree trunk moss</a>, I've been working my way up a few river valleys, sifting moss, in my ongoing search for the edges of <i>O. praticola</i>'s local range. I just completed one such river series along Tolt River. Tolt River is a tributary to the Snoqualmie River, and runs along the southern edge of Carnation, Washington in King County.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnurqw0i6YV_suri_EgX3HYDfqAi4J7mmZWrXPpTRlezFU38rDFY6225gU8JanD_jC8RhfdpUKQUFINK-WIflqhXxtrBv1P7K6UatK0zk8qVB8qAhVG84hVNb9Ki1z_rhsZRX2wyZzg/s1600/IMGP0558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnurqw0i6YV_suri_EgX3HYDfqAi4J7mmZWrXPpTRlezFU38rDFY6225gU8JanD_jC8RhfdpUKQUFINK-WIflqhXxtrBv1P7K6UatK0zk8qVB8qAhVG84hVNb9Ki1z_rhsZRX2wyZzg/s200/IMGP0558.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artifacts indicate past land<br />
use as home sites.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I visited three Tolt River sites on 12 May, then an additional three sites on 18 May. The sites spanned a distance of approximately 5.3 river miles (squares on map, <i>above</i>). The stretch of the river valley I sampled is lightly peppered with currently occupied homes interspersed with former home sites that are being restored as part of the <a href="https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/water-and-land/natural-lands/ecological/tolt-river.aspx">Tolt River Natural Area</a> salmon habitat protection initiative. As far as I could determine from historical aerial photos on Google Earth, many of my sample sites had homes on them as recently as three to seven years ago.<br />
<br />
I had <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2016/08/23-aug-2016-carnation-washington.html">tapped <i>O. praticola</i> from cones in Carnation</a> in 2016 (blue pin in map above), so I knew that the species was in the neighborhood. But I didn't know if it had spread into the more natural habitats found along the Tolt River. Rod Crawford <a href="https://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/album7619.html">didn't find any <i>O. praticola</i></a> in 2009 when he collected spiders on the west side of Snoqualmie River at Tolt River–John MacDonald Memorial Park.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3-FoUuVHn12vy04HlbwewNrr220XnEXhIlG7jWVEBDzE8d5zmZ4etCRDOima70_hvPA7lxcXrN86XWVr4aYHAZ6ZTEffrqW6hxID7Op_iCS6KF9szXFc8s25t7O14hyphenhyphenQKJXd-3EQaQ/s1600/IMGP0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3-FoUuVHn12vy04HlbwewNrr220XnEXhIlG7jWVEBDzE8d5zmZ4etCRDOima70_hvPA7lxcXrN86XWVr4aYHAZ6ZTEffrqW6hxID7Op_iCS6KF9szXFc8s25t7O14hyphenhyphenQKJXd-3EQaQ/s200/IMGP0284.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From parking lot, a view through a<br />
strip of riparian forest to the Tolt River.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIB4oiGyLwXu55SMiEXXtr5WwxJcXMhXoXnvycNmZcVHQ_XVhHkWyO-fZ-TBgy1Zz9lWoDL72p-6fjQSa9_lN0iiIHAUxI3jITxiSud9zZvucFggd_eoV9K7j8PkpoKDKCcZeGZEmjw/s1600/IMGP0290-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="672" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIB4oiGyLwXu55SMiEXXtr5WwxJcXMhXoXnvycNmZcVHQ_XVhHkWyO-fZ-TBgy1Zz9lWoDL72p-6fjQSa9_lN0iiIHAUxI3jITxiSud9zZvucFggd_eoV9K7j8PkpoKDKCcZeGZEmjw/s200/IMGP0290-crop.jpg" width="162" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male <i>O. praticola</i> sifted from<br />
tree trunk moss at first site.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My first, most downstream site was located in a wooded riverside parking area near where Route 203 crosses Tolt River. I sifted about a sweep net full of moss from the trunks of black cottonwood (<i>Populus trichocarpa</i>) and bigleaf maple (<i>Acer macrophyllum</i>) and collected 1 female, 2 male and 40 juvenile <i>O. praticola</i>. <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> was by far the most numerous species present in the sample.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju6UYkWWvY_83kVq5SFLrgCccy9i4Z8XRoXL23WDn0jICoyJWjzD6cUtBfvLpkRnDcFK-19p2P6z923b6jPu8CjKeMnr2E28jOY3IPFv-0ehazusn5LxN5qtGF_QX6v5E92dJoG75-g/s1600/IMGP0581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju6UYkWWvY_83kVq5SFLrgCccy9i4Z8XRoXL23WDn0jICoyJWjzD6cUtBfvLpkRnDcFK-19p2P6z923b6jPu8CjKeMnr2E28jOY3IPFv-0ehazusn5LxN5qtGF_QX6v5E92dJoG75-g/s200/IMGP0581.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mossy riparian cottonwoods at third<br />
site, where a home formerly stood.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4fA2eckvOEw0kZjyZCI4Sjer9HyfAQPvLlfPKvMETIj0lOgZn8INTqT-xEhYgef0Wl7xG879Ar4UzMgfJofUv8zfGNp6UWEOEKtek6EbMKISvU1e7_qldfkfkGCpMDwN6DXCXO6fMg/s1600/IMGP0603-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="491" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4fA2eckvOEw0kZjyZCI4Sjer9HyfAQPvLlfPKvMETIj0lOgZn8INTqT-xEhYgef0Wl7xG879Ar4UzMgfJofUv8zfGNp6UWEOEKtek6EbMKISvU1e7_qldfkfkGCpMDwN6DXCXO6fMg/s200/IMGP0603-crop.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male <i>O. praticola</i> sifted from<br />
tree trunk moss at third site</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The moss I sifted at the next site upstream produced a dozen juvenile <i>O</i>. probably-<i>praticola</i>, but no adults. Moss at the third site, however, mirrored the first in producing 2 female, 2 male, and 20 juvenile <i>O. praticola</i>.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrl67uLTdVPMtylriHFrzVR-_kXIAzxIODPjgItvyGxiQ8mPvIySfGXXaX9XdNmudW5w6G2qhto55gtMsTmkVPs38DPtOeWedqDW5edc4J5btQxh_LS_P3Pymb3kFTn3mvFcyD7b5k1Q/s1600/IMGP0526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrl67uLTdVPMtylriHFrzVR-_kXIAzxIODPjgItvyGxiQ8mPvIySfGXXaX9XdNmudW5w6G2qhto55gtMsTmkVPs38DPtOeWedqDW5edc4J5btQxh_LS_P3Pymb3kFTn3mvFcyD7b5k1Q/s200/IMGP0526.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mossy maple at final up-<br />
stream site.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTS9X2R0Vcy7SZPDfProklodZ41__gZZIgvCC5foIp-4zrQRPw5rUKDVPt27VFZ1Xo5E1bVDBg2ZWZV1FXItuiQGukVeYFgpm5aQSSvRdN8xRiYk843XjLms6Uq5WGn_v80tFyVgKufQ/s1600/IMGP0545+Ozyptila+praticola+F-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="890" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTS9X2R0Vcy7SZPDfProklodZ41__gZZIgvCC5foIp-4zrQRPw5rUKDVPt27VFZ1Xo5E1bVDBg2ZWZV1FXItuiQGukVeYFgpm5aQSSvRdN8xRiYk843XjLms6Uq5WGn_v80tFyVgKufQ/s200/IMGP0545+Ozyptila+praticola+F-crop.jpg" width="173" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female O. praticola sifted from<br />
tree trunk moss at most upstream<br />
site.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although young thomisids were present at the fourth and fifth sites, I didn't find any spiders that I could with any confidence identify as <i>O. praticola</i>. But at the final, most upstream site, I sifted 1 female and 2 juvenile <i>O. praticola</i> from moss I harvested from bigleaf maple and black cottonwood trunks.<br />
<br />
Clearly, <i>O. praticola</i> is present along the Tolt River for at least the first 5.3 river miles from its confluence with Snoqualmie River. This finding then raises the question, has it spread even farther upstream? If the species is simply following the riparian forest upstream, it seems reasonable to anticipate that it may have spread even farther upstream than where I stopped sampling. However, if it is present at these sampling sites only because it was inadvertently introduced by former homeowners, then it may not have spread upstream beyond the homesteaded areas much if at all. The only way to know for sure is to continue sampling farther upstream. But unfortunately, road <a href="https://www.sqrecreation.com/snoqualmie/purchase-permits/motorized-recreation-access-permit/snoqualmie-forest-motorized-recreatio">access is restricted</a> farther upstream. Anyone have a canoe?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9fmJDOtywfa14uEnuZZjNHkTtnVVR9i2S15TWSRvCON6GeqYstnzSqJMv2BNxDEAE3cyUpvZDQOXmWWUzFHVFr-H_p_SwE54sxQMXA5POO3Nu5D85TF2c6xd_nXCsCDnhUa0Sozlqg/s1600/IMGP0564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9fmJDOtywfa14uEnuZZjNHkTtnVVR9i2S15TWSRvCON6GeqYstnzSqJMv2BNxDEAE3cyUpvZDQOXmWWUzFHVFr-H_p_SwE54sxQMXA5POO3Nu5D85TF2c6xd_nXCsCDnhUa0Sozlqg/s400/IMGP0564.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The effort to revegetate former housing sites is under way.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-74910211930090001822018-05-10T11:27:00.002-07:002018-05-25T14:01:31.881-07:002-May-2018 Lynden, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArru1G3J210jys_47C6sUvo_PuUFD3ZAX8-hfwRRAoiG9jOzPIQFSqjisGE2-JTNW3NnWDMMK1h-JQzE39CTStXFPOPazj76eJcRYYJ1iE4G8rFuhF3i1YzmYttoLJsvXlBQtc8M_9A/s1600/2018-5-2+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1600" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArru1G3J210jys_47C6sUvo_PuUFD3ZAX8-hfwRRAoiG9jOzPIQFSqjisGE2-JTNW3NnWDMMK1h-JQzE39CTStXFPOPazj76eJcRYYJ1iE4G8rFuhF3i1YzmYttoLJsvXlBQtc8M_9A/s320/2018-5-2+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Pins show places I tapped cones in 2017. <br />
Red and yellow indicate no or juvenile <i>O. praticola</i> found, <br />
respectively, in cones (pins) or tree trunk moss (square).<br />
Blue star indicates male <i>P. lanigera</i> collection site.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The small farm-oriented city of Lynden was Rod Crawford's and my destination this day. Having tapped cones at four locations in this northern Whatcom County enclave late last September, I didn't expect to see anything too different this time around. Boy was I wrong!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLG191AQ0XOol0aEojrWH3HingzY7zy4_5veTPXNV-6l71bfiRcp6LE06k2Spr02gCvSAoUoQu7LRp2AcTzRjWXWVhAN95nhuJw1WvrVW7GNV0JdK_n0TRVitzHwCg8cBz_12G-32uOA/s1600/IMGP0029-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="534" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLG191AQ0XOol0aEojrWH3HingzY7zy4_5veTPXNV-6l71bfiRcp6LE06k2Spr02gCvSAoUoQu7LRp2AcTzRjWXWVhAN95nhuJw1WvrVW7GNV0JdK_n0TRVitzHwCg8cBz_12G-32uOA/s200/IMGP0029-crop.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male <i>P. lanigera</i> on <br />
building exterior</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The excitement began at our first stop at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds (blue star on map above). After an uneventful start of picking spiders from the chain-link fence and some stacked concrete barriers, I moved on to building exteriors and came face to face with a male <i>Pseudeuophrys lanigera</i> (Salticidae). <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/01/read-our-paper-about-first.html">First discovered</a> in North America by yours truly less than three years ago, the species appears to be rapidly expanding its range in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the findings we've reported to-date, in March of this year <a href="https://twitter.com/Ibycter">Sean McCann</a> found both male and female <i>P. lanigera</i> on the exterior of a building at the Vauncouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia. And just this week, a high school student in "the other Vancouver" here in Washington found what appears to be a male <i>P. lanigera</i> in her school's cafeteria. The latter ID is still pending, but it is clear that spider enthusiasts along the west coast should keep their eyes peeled for this tiny salticid.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjak5dqdwN429dzkPHIwxQDQYchgqKXhjrO-L0uo4isBTp2uRk57XpjOJi6dPKLPoI9e3pue7WjIAvMQCnrVD_MipqnK9O-IkZvmAXw7ludlgbTzAod_5sfm3KgM9NXyjkIEBans0sR_Q/s1600/IMGP0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjak5dqdwN429dzkPHIwxQDQYchgqKXhjrO-L0uo4isBTp2uRk57XpjOJi6dPKLPoI9e3pue7WjIAvMQCnrVD_MipqnK9O-IkZvmAXw7ludlgbTzAod_5sfm3KgM9NXyjkIEBans0sR_Q/s200/IMGP0053.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bender Fields cone source was a border<br />
of planted Douglas-fir and red-cedar trees<br />
paralleling Fish Trap Creek.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After sweeping marsh grass next to Fish Trap Creek, which borders the fairgrounds, we moved on to Bender Fields for my next surprise of the day. I had tapped 50 Douglas-fir (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) cones there the previous September and found three identifiable species, all common linyphiids: <i>Erigone aletris, Tachygyna vancouverana, </i>and <i>Tenuiphantes tenuis</i>. The same species were present this day, as well another introduced spider, <i>Lathys humilis</i> (Dictynidae). I had collected <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2017/02/12-feb-2017-ferndale-blaine-washington.html"><i>L. humilis</i> in nearby Blaine</a> in February, 2017, so it's presence wasn't a really big surprise.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFakHhjyKHofiysfTlRxkY1xvWELuB_tOXJQSpRm4CjzNgdpZkq3rzknHCT9CH4Bsjg46Fy5J4uvpa_9miDsq0sLw35LIfQcjPfgoP7DlxwnhyHejHWIAoAbSmSC-iRFq2CtVhj18dEQ/s1600/IMGP0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFakHhjyKHofiysfTlRxkY1xvWELuB_tOXJQSpRm4CjzNgdpZkq3rzknHCT9CH4Bsjg46Fy5J4uvpa_9miDsq0sLw35LIfQcjPfgoP7DlxwnhyHejHWIAoAbSmSC-iRFq2CtVhj18dEQ/s200/IMGP0055.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penultimate female <i>O.</i> <i>praticola</i><br />
on a Douglas-fir cone scale, looking<br />
very much like a conifer seed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What did surprise me at Bender Fields was the presence of numerous penultimate <i>Ozyptila </i>probably<i>-praticola</i> (Thomisidae), the introduced European crab spider I <i>didn't</i> find anywhere in Lynden last year. Open cones being plentiful this visit (they were in short supply last September), I tapped 150 in hopes of collecting a mature specimen, but no dice. Still, I did collect 16 juveniles and penultimates, so Rod and I each brought home a penultimate to rear to maturity to prove the presence of the species.<br />
<b>UPDATE [17 May 2018]:</b> The penultimate female I was rearing has molted to maturity. <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> is now confirmed in Lynden, Washington.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaE1VB7bwXgV5OZooku1elOyX44wRJMrsLU_GHZ89d7QZ0m4zw308vNjqL4KGODrk0ajULhkXrP0JBZYVmwcsFv7aAbx6wGF6eWA9YbsivJgXNUtDg50g2_hhb17plyr5zziRMO1LUQ/s1600/IMGP0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaE1VB7bwXgV5OZooku1elOyX44wRJMrsLU_GHZ89d7QZ0m4zw308vNjqL4KGODrk0ajULhkXrP0JBZYVmwcsFv7aAbx6wGF6eWA9YbsivJgXNUtDg50g2_hhb17plyr5zziRMO1LUQ/s200/IMGP0066.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little bit of moss...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rod also collected one juvenile <i>O</i>. probably-<i>praticola</i> from leaf litter from the creekside edge of Bender Fields, but overall there were very few spiders in that microhabitat. With an eye towards finding him a more productive habitat as well as finding me some <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/03/ozyptila-praticola-found-in-tree-trunk.html">tree trunk moss to sift for possible <i>O. praticola</i></a>, we headed for the banks of the nearby Nooksack River.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEghTY7wgo4Ug9LV4jy2vaTxynlJkc5l-70Rqy3LbaiHj2VBRs8yh4BPu_-VZWejIbnOG-KU0oiibu_UaonoXJF58eRBjn-6akerl3xdvWh1l9UTP7ITgGzm5nSPKWVWVB4xY6Y34Nw/s1600/IMGP0074-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="909" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEghTY7wgo4Ug9LV4jy2vaTxynlJkc5l-70Rqy3LbaiHj2VBRs8yh4BPu_-VZWejIbnOG-KU0oiibu_UaonoXJF58eRBjn-6akerl3xdvWh1l9UTP7ITgGzm5nSPKWVWVB4xY6Y34Nw/s200/IMGP0074-crop.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...can hold so many <i>Ozyptila.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not for the first time this day, I had to wade through thickets of Himalayan blackberry (<i>Rubus armeniacus</i>) to reach my destination. In this case, my destination was a group of mature cottonwood trees (<i>Populus trichocarpa</i>) with mossy trunks. I was only able to collect half a sweep net-full of moss, but that small quantity harbored an astounding 42 juvenile <i>O</i>. probably-<i>praticola</i>. The thorny slog through the living barbed wire that is blackberry was very much worth the information I was able to gather from the moss on the other side.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-76960486864856202342018-05-06T21:47:00.000-07:002018-05-11T07:48:13.789-07:0030-April-2018 Tacoma, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2cVpncrymHMlgVM1MLIDGtxTcEIGeVWCn7Aj6crDhlp2PBNr2OH_oOl5PMf6g46cELgcLaF4Oi122Y5uLI_0pt1t9XfyXnivLAzkIjx8NcdVRwgtAH0qldI5pYsdL8BJkhWlJLvSfQ/s1600/2018-4-30+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2cVpncrymHMlgVM1MLIDGtxTcEIGeVWCn7Aj6crDhlp2PBNr2OH_oOl5PMf6g46cELgcLaF4Oi122Y5uLI_0pt1t9XfyXnivLAzkIjx8NcdVRwgtAH0qldI5pYsdL8BJkhWlJLvSfQ/s320/2018-4-30+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Pins and cross indicate cone and<br />
litter samples, respectively.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After recently <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/04/20-april-2018-tacoma-washington.html">finding juvenile <i>Ozyptila</i> on the campus of University of Puget Sound</a>, I was convinced that the introduced crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) was present there. But I lacked a mature specimen to prove it. I thought that Rod Crawford or I might turn one up <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/05/27-april-2018-tacoma-washington.html">during the Point Defiance Park BioBlitz</a>, especially in the anthropogenic southern part of the park, but that didn't happen. So I returned to north Tacoma this day to sift more litter from the university's "<i>Ozyptila</i> hot spot", and tap more fallen cones until I found a mature <i>Ozyptila </i>(of whatever species)<i>.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I debated whether to begin my day sifting litter or tapping cones. Since Rod and I had spotted some nice cone deposits near Pearl and 21st on our way to the BioBlitz a few days before, I decided to tap cones first. As eager as I was to sift litter at the <i>Ozyptila</i> hot spot, I didn't want to risk losing good cones to groundskeepers. I have occasionally seen them removed before my very eyes. It is a story almost too sad to tell...<br />
<br />
In total, I tapped 250 pine cones: 150 black pine (<i>Pinus nigra</i>) cones from three sites, and 100 western white pine (<i>P. monticola</i>) cones from two sites. Though each set of cones produced a set of spiders unique in composition, taken together they provided a fairly typical urban sample. From the 250 tapped cones I collected 76 spiders and 9 identifiable species. A few points of interest:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I tapped female <i>Rugathodes (Theridion) sexpunctatum</i> from cones at two sites. It's a common enough native spider -- we collected it in multiple microhabitats in Point Defiance Park, for example -- but I had only found it in the fallen cone microhabitat twice before in western Washington. So the present samples doubled my cone tally.</li>
<li><i>Cryptachaea blattea</i> is an introduced theridiid that I've tapped frequently from cones in western Washington, from Pierce County in the south to Skagit County in the north. But today it seemed especially prevalent; I tapped it from cones at three of the five sites.</li>
<li>Another introduced crab spider, <i>Philodromus dispar</i>, is a species I tap frequently from cones in western Washington, albeit usually as juveniles (penultimate males can be distinguished from congeners by their round palps). This day, however, I tapped several mature males from cones. Checking my records, I found that the four other times I tapped males from cones were in the first two weeks of May, quite consistent in timing with these April 30th samples in Tacoma.</li>
<li>No <i>O. praticola</i>!</li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMUhjNSyN-b84VSjLUms3IOfkN2tJUgkxsi8jCEUynLGoMXr8QRFjs8mm95Cxnzi_2328r38P1uYtY_6Y2Lry_U2brLaLlJmIuiM8ExYn9hcD7fMvXGRAB8vUSIOQ-MwtOCTLJ_27Ng/s1600/IMGP0364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMUhjNSyN-b84VSjLUms3IOfkN2tJUgkxsi8jCEUynLGoMXr8QRFjs8mm95Cxnzi_2328r38P1uYtY_6Y2Lry_U2brLaLlJmIuiM8ExYn9hcD7fMvXGRAB8vUSIOQ-MwtOCTLJ_27Ng/s200/IMGP0364.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Dirty" <i>Arbutus</i> litter full of fines...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOHOhTiRPWc3GOv5120J-NBumIeY1XGVjskAyfNNkxFYWfAOrne1OUJdqPHAfDQfdbggIIg0FVJM-dOF64zS-4zUJOY03jeX1K4rFnL17kwBnayTMP0-wuA2PptqvAHeAV6K-O5BwEg/s1600/IMGP0362-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1073" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOHOhTiRPWc3GOv5120J-NBumIeY1XGVjskAyfNNkxFYWfAOrne1OUJdqPHAfDQfdbggIIg0FVJM-dOF64zS-4zUJOY03jeX1K4rFnL17kwBnayTMP0-wuA2PptqvAHeAV6K-O5BwEg/s200/IMGP0362-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...including a fine female <i>O. praticola</i>!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Having found no <i>O. praticola</i> in the cones, I returned to the <i>Ozyptila</i> hot spot to sift litter. I first sifted a net-full of oak leaf litter because I knew it would be "clean". That is, it would be easy to examine the siftings because the litter was relatively free of dirt and organic particles small enough to fall through the sifter. The oak leaf litter, however, produced no <i>O. praticola</i>, not even juveniles. Next I switched to litter under the <i>Arbutus unedo</i> shrubs from which I'd originally <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/04/20-april-2018-tacoma-washington.html">captured juvenile <i>O. praticola</i> in cardboard live traps</a>. This batch of litter consisted of <i>A. unedo</i> leaves, heavily decayed wood chip mulch, and Douglas-fir (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) needles, which are quite short. In other words, "dirty" litter that largely fell through the sifter. Lucky for me, along with it fell a female <i>O. praticola, </i>hurray! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Ozyptila praticola</i> is now confirmed as present in Tacoma. However, its present distribution appears to be extremely localized.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRXFBdNrCICc_LvCDt1MQlktH2EPKFSfkktoqcUkYaFIIZt7bK6cwjr0qu0uBKS9O2FpDqHTDWwdOm8ByManMYPybTwaxfJs09eGQw8wjCgmLUzVDNBNgC7FwOP7XQ8PmScmkijSAvA/s1600/2018-4-30+greater+Tacoma+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRXFBdNrCICc_LvCDt1MQlktH2EPKFSfkktoqcUkYaFIIZt7bK6cwjr0qu0uBKS9O2FpDqHTDWwdOm8ByManMYPybTwaxfJs09eGQw8wjCgmLUzVDNBNgC7FwOP7XQ8PmScmkijSAvA/s400/2018-4-30+greater+Tacoma+map.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The many places I've looked for but not found <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> <br />
in Tacoma (red), and the one place I have (blue).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-88301067083656931562018-05-04T17:58:00.000-07:002018-05-19T17:21:07.317-07:0027-April-2018 Tacoma, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwBkh8W_9vbFjK-r9sBhLZuHeCQ8gwYb-O0sXeHwao0k-OGwZ9xMflhaScjPUlKH7si-FIp3YM-Axe1OKhvxfVBP5yDyy6PDGAYuCinN36WFXeZQtl_SEF1BIODvnY47GVB9DJQLUgw/s1600/2018-4-27+site+location+map2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwBkh8W_9vbFjK-r9sBhLZuHeCQ8gwYb-O0sXeHwao0k-OGwZ9xMflhaScjPUlKH7si-FIp3YM-Axe1OKhvxfVBP5yDyy6PDGAYuCinN36WFXeZQtl_SEF1BIODvnY47GVB9DJQLUgw/s320/2018-4-27+site+location+map2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was very happy when Rod Crawford and I were invited to participate in <a href="https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/news?id=2176">Point Defiance Park BioBlitz 2018</a>. The <a href="https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/point-defiance-park">park</a>'s 760 acres of mature forest, shoreline habitats, zoo and botanical gardens caps the north end of the peninsula that is Tacoma, and is usually closed to collectors. Participating in the BioBlitz allowed Rod and me to explore the spider fauna of this gem to the benefit of both the park and the <a href="http://www.burkemuseum.org/">Burke Museum</a>, while also giving me another opportunity to search for the introduced European crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae).<br />
<br />
And speaking of <i>O. praticola</i>, on our way to the park, Rod and I made a brief stop at University of Puget Sound to check a <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/04/20-april-2018-tacoma-washington.html">live trap that I'd placed there the week before</a>. I had hoped it would contain mature <i>O. praticola</i>, proving the presence of the species that I'd so far only collected there as juveniles. Alas, it wasn't to be; the trap was empty.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FmWhpTHaxOeQLoN-QUbeLfMYUuyI0iRGXDI8QfXUx9u9nNnp3tAKZgFuy84U7oSg4kr4jqzFFmu1YECJJR1n5Qj2bJ110gYfkWsYD5EvQoN-DQmWW-ritj4WnXaHFl-Uvxfx0i0mHQ/s1600/IMGP0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FmWhpTHaxOeQLoN-QUbeLfMYUuyI0iRGXDI8QfXUx9u9nNnp3tAKZgFuy84U7oSg4kr4jqzFFmu1YECJJR1n5Qj2bJ110gYfkWsYD5EvQoN-DQmWW-ritj4WnXaHFl-Uvxfx0i0mHQ/s200/IMGP0204.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rod sifts leaf litter at Owen Beach as<br />
one of our very helpful high school senior<br />
assistants inputs IDs into iNaturalist.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We spent a good part of our day in the park collecting at Owen Beach. This location gave us access to numerous habitats, including shoreline conifers, understory vegetation, tree trunk moss, buildings, and leaf litter.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACkS5uFrWEXyszrQ6vnyoaUYHt0LxFjFmE4pjOroeQKO8sEqSDka30iGndxjkypq2LK0sfCbjj5qa0FxqMwmmKjsy3ccwtZRXt_P_KyYXE7CNxi0YpRyYcP_uh2-JYyVoqRPVNntc4w/s1600/IMGP0260-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1234" data-original-width="994" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACkS5uFrWEXyszrQ6vnyoaUYHt0LxFjFmE4pjOroeQKO8sEqSDka30iGndxjkypq2LK0sfCbjj5qa0FxqMwmmKjsy3ccwtZRXt_P_KyYXE7CNxi0YpRyYcP_uh2-JYyVoqRPVNntc4w/s200/IMGP0260-crop.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Antrodiaetus</i> sp. juvenile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Many specimens were of course too tiny to identify in the field for BioBlitz purposes, but we were able to find some exciting larger specimens for our assistants to photograph and input into the <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist</a> database. This folding-door spider (<i>Antrodiaetus</i> sp., family Antrodiaetidae), for example, was one of the more photo-worthy spiders I sifted from moss.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFgiuYK5KipaPy_ucyGqqWhx3QQSQ0XznZF-thPEY_EturI_klXKIhaZir-h-L8TEzBxhKlliX2F8-2PmI3h5QFtqkpE4GMNvxoL2HEQq8YNFNK5faH6S_-4bnkrYSQQTqvaSBSucig/s1600/IMGP0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFgiuYK5KipaPy_ucyGqqWhx3QQSQ0XznZF-thPEY_EturI_klXKIhaZir-h-L8TEzBxhKlliX2F8-2PmI3h5QFtqkpE4GMNvxoL2HEQq8YNFNK5faH6S_-4bnkrYSQQTqvaSBSucig/s200/IMGP0275.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cone source in the native plant garden.<br />
The Meadow is to the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After we completed our work at the beach, a field assistant very helpfully directed us to the park's <a href="https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/pt-defiance-native-garden/">Northwest Native Plant Garden</a> as a place where we might find uncut grass to sweep. (The other potential location, the zoo's muskox paddock, didn't sound like a wise choice...) While Rod swept "The Meadow", I tapped 100 fallen Douglas-fir (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) cones from the bordering stand of young trees that had apparently been planted as a buffer zone.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVlC8AWa-WSzGAKRaVwAKh9n1ju5Fmrp3tBtSE755o52GtacLtqqxLmHhqctOyEeZUNKEmtXIgXfYoFkl7K-SpcAVe2ZJSazNKLW9_BppWaIHxYdPV47nJ1o8VInSB51sosFZayGqWQ/s1600/IMGP0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVlC8AWa-WSzGAKRaVwAKh9n1ju5Fmrp3tBtSE755o52GtacLtqqxLmHhqctOyEeZUNKEmtXIgXfYoFkl7K-SpcAVe2ZJSazNKLW9_BppWaIHxYdPV47nJ1o8VInSB51sosFZayGqWQ/s200/IMGP0296.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cybaeus</i> sp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1I4BJbRfvNPuzftTB66_5wSSMVHaxrwo2nobTmIJkRj6Zv2JiUdfHsR3Qjqdt59wUGtO7SUdPzfMWpA5L3JqDWNMiEmSHv5r7Ln_u4AX8HMjqdtqy1yX7fDjapXeKKOA0mJ8ESKtUZQ/s1600/IMGP0284-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1I4BJbRfvNPuzftTB66_5wSSMVHaxrwo2nobTmIJkRj6Zv2JiUdfHsR3Qjqdt59wUGtO7SUdPzfMWpA5L3JqDWNMiEmSHv5r7Ln_u4AX8HMjqdtqy1yX7fDjapXeKKOA0mJ8ESKtUZQ/s200/IMGP0284-edit.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cybaeus</i> exuvium (<i>center</i>) and <br />
spider (<i>arrow</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All that cone tapping only produced eight spiders, but three species were identifiable. One of them, <i>Linyphantes nehalem</i> (Linyphiidae), we didn't collect in any other microhabitat this day, nor had I ever tapped it from cones before. Less interesting for the species list, but certainly interesting from an ecological perspective, was this teneral juvenile <i>Cybaeus</i> (Cybaeidae) and its exuvium. It had used the cone as a molting place.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJo2pp8p4dXXrxkgVmSpuKWD8LNS7pt7DzfrQm00lQZs_2C6RLli9Qv3OMFApzzwzN4r_rnJPbW9-u4-h694ZVanVYL8GtVf9qiMDc3elQxsqEogz8H7UGyLZTZ59XHkxJu1abO3UaA/s1600/IMGP0310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJo2pp8p4dXXrxkgVmSpuKWD8LNS7pt7DzfrQm00lQZs_2C6RLli9Qv3OMFApzzwzN4r_rnJPbW9-u4-h694ZVanVYL8GtVf9qiMDc3elQxsqEogz8H7UGyLZTZ59XHkxJu1abO3UaA/s200/IMGP0310.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of cones in the parking<br />
lot border</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZc9TGmIsYAJx_frDDpgUSiAd1mlh3R-dgphVwIb9_0SAKodK1as9JAa88rP2GlOqEeSFK_IRJT9BcYY_2owqKh7aMywRdOdZOHfQ7cddnXwVdn18kYbD-uFdIrHsftGZbPSTHeBEvTg/s1600/IMGP0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZc9TGmIsYAJx_frDDpgUSiAd1mlh3R-dgphVwIb9_0SAKodK1as9JAa88rP2GlOqEeSFK_IRJT9BcYY_2owqKh7aMywRdOdZOHfQ7cddnXwVdn18kYbD-uFdIrHsftGZbPSTHeBEvTg/s200/IMGP0305.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open cones in lush litter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By this time I was pretty tired, and my stomach was beginning to rumble for the promised BioBlitz taco bar. But I couldn't bear the thought of not tapping the fallen black pine (<i>Pinus nigra</i>) cones I had noticed on our drive from Owen Beach to the native plant garden. Black pines were among the row of conifers that had been planted as a visual barrier between the main parking lot and a maintenance yard, and they had dropped a lot of cones. I again tapped 100 cones and again found few spiders -- this time only six. In contrast to the cone spiders from the native plant garden, however, of the two species identifiable here, the one we didn't find in any other microhabitat this day was the very common introduced species <i>Tenuiphantes tenuis</i> (Linyphiidae). Among spiders identifiable to species, I've found <i>T. tenuis</i> at more cone sampling sites in western Washington than any other species except <i>O. praticola</i>.<br />
<br />
You can read Rod's take on the day <a href="https://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/Journal28.html#7325">here</a>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWMgqFqO4WUEHh7M6W1NVB5mimtzFdnRyExq1h4Dl7Ups0mDsFNtsYlRY7nVOtlh96jj5TYn54dxtoYd6NyLN7tQb0i0NYivNaw5-SMQ1CHwhOxr49MSRLUshOjZPXALozUf74oMawg/s1600/IMGP0312-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="1264" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWMgqFqO4WUEHh7M6W1NVB5mimtzFdnRyExq1h4Dl7Ups0mDsFNtsYlRY7nVOtlh96jj5TYn54dxtoYd6NyLN7tQb0i0NYivNaw5-SMQ1CHwhOxr49MSRLUshOjZPXALozUf74oMawg/s400/IMGP0312-crop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As afternoon shifted towards evening, black-tailed deer <br />
(<i>Odocoileus hemionus columbianus</i>) began appearing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-75467471625239472872018-04-23T14:10:00.001-07:002018-04-23T15:58:39.780-07:0021-April-2018 Edmonds, Lynnwood, and Mill Creek, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVPCAgdNFKXt-UWec_wo7wPlEgEIZQmyw9cqE_lvYJAgWUnD2D_PV8XDbzCc6_EHrR4No6QA56yelJ3N0_faW20jrCE0xxUrFNrM71hbQDETHdkcEEstKYZBpVhxZsVTAYHb81wI4gw/s1600/2018-4-21+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVPCAgdNFKXt-UWec_wo7wPlEgEIZQmyw9cqE_lvYJAgWUnD2D_PV8XDbzCc6_EHrR4No6QA56yelJ3N0_faW20jrCE0xxUrFNrM71hbQDETHdkcEEstKYZBpVhxZsVTAYHb81wI4gw/s320/2018-4-21+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge.<br />
Red pins: no <i>O. praticola</i> found<br />
Blue pins: <i>O. praticola </i>confirmed with adult specimen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've been so busy setting and checking cardboard live traps recently that I've hardly tapped any cones. This is because I set traps in places that generally don't have accessible fallen cones but where I still need to check for the presence of the introduced crab spider, <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae). So as a rule, when I'm out trapping, I'm not tapping. On this day, however, I needed to chauffeur someone to and from an all-day event in Lynnwood, which put me in a highly developed part of Snohomish County where pines are a common landscaping plant. I've collected juvenile <i>Ozyptila </i>probably-<i>praticola</i> in Lynnwood and in nearby Mill Creek in previous years. Now I had an opportunity to (hopefully) confirm those IDs with mature specimens, and maybe document a few additional sites. And I could do that by once again tapping cones!<br />
<br />
<b>Brackett's Landing, Edmonds</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUf91VaoHP_W0Or-IU-hwSH45hfwO5tn7n8eeazMURSBEsO4nX8EHMqyIfDE2XWha_GQICGF-FjV9sX1KpBYT7ZUFh2dPOQ8yQNySt4-cV18kTmLr0zdfDTD7uwTF_HYG3epMDMoKig/s1600/P4210140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUf91VaoHP_W0Or-IU-hwSH45hfwO5tn7n8eeazMURSBEsO4nX8EHMqyIfDE2XWha_GQICGF-FjV9sX1KpBYT7ZUFh2dPOQ8yQNySt4-cV18kTmLr0zdfDTD7uwTF_HYG3epMDMoKig/s200/P4210140.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Row of shore pines viewed from <br />
nearby bluff. Railroad tracks in fore-<br />
ground, Puget Sound in background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcMc-88jzrjEoTMBCrXTLzDTNP_6K3sLAIG26eRUrsvP7U5WndqEoymj46cIpr-AUUKl-Z0pSPG2hRvX2w20pdauUiEMIDQqem_YmzUPcRhGoFKLXZu-EFmG2bF6a4O1NsL5ZwqVbzQ/s1600/P4210130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcMc-88jzrjEoTMBCrXTLzDTNP_6K3sLAIG26eRUrsvP7U5WndqEoymj46cIpr-AUUKl-Z0pSPG2hRvX2w20pdauUiEMIDQqem_YmzUPcRhGoFKLXZu-EFmG2bF6a4O1NsL5ZwqVbzQ/s200/P4210130.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shore pine cone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My first stop was the shoreline park <a href="http://www.edmondswa.gov/visit-a-park-text-15/parks-map/brackett-s-landing-north.html">Brackett's Landing</a>. Though it was only 8:30 in the morning, the parking lot was already full of SCUBA divers readying their gear for a tour of the <a href="http://www.edmondswa.gov/edmonds-underwater-park-discovery.html">Edmonds Underwater Park</a>. My destination was a little closer and a lot drier: the row of shore pines (<i>Pinus contorta contorta</i>) buffering the view between the restroom building and the railroad tracks. Cones were lying on a variety of substrates including wood mulch, pine litter and grass. I tapped 100 cones and collected 12 spiders from 6 families. All spiders but one were juveniles.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZOP6n3JqXgX3rOYg6Bag_WI-nkdynSndNpC4dmt1W-cK4usWBEYWvYXe-pw14Qzo1vJcHfallNzobq4iOR4wFTCF0EzITGzExgXhS5M-br_Wy-4UT_BmAP8htop6C44zeIwMRe_5OA/s1600/IMGP0078-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="1082" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZOP6n3JqXgX3rOYg6Bag_WI-nkdynSndNpC4dmt1W-cK4usWBEYWvYXe-pw14Qzo1vJcHfallNzobq4iOR4wFTCF0EzITGzExgXhS5M-br_Wy-4UT_BmAP8htop6C44zeIwMRe_5OA/s200/IMGP0078-crop.jpg" width="164" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Pseudeuophrys lanigera</i>,<br />
ventral view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXggr2iehDHXFbCO_Y_KBMUZorymFANPwvLw_jHhZw7ej-97R-H_e9b-z4emKRK8Y0cgmmKOYSsKqC-VE6bihwxz5Ms01xExbBtw4PY_4zRneh0u0HXwi_TKdwsTFuqycGgtop7__Pg/s1600/IMGP0079-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="980" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXggr2iehDHXFbCO_Y_KBMUZorymFANPwvLw_jHhZw7ej-97R-H_e9b-z4emKRK8Y0cgmmKOYSsKqC-VE6bihwxz5Ms01xExbBtw4PY_4zRneh0u0HXwi_TKdwsTFuqycGgtop7__Pg/s200/IMGP0079-crop.jpg" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>P. lanigera</i>, <br />
dorsal view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The spiders I tapped from these cones were typical for an urban cone sample in this region (<i>Enoplognatha, Philodromus, Tenuiphantes</i>, etc.), with one exception: <i>Pseudeuophrys lanigera</i>! I <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2015/10/8-oct-2015-mukilteo-and-lynnwood.html">first discovered</a> this European salticid in fallen pine cones in Mukilteo in 2015. Since then, I and others have found more <i>P. lanigera</i> in Seattle and Bremerton. You can read our paper about those discoveries <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/01/read-our-paper-about-first.html">here</a>. This find in Edmonds, which is located between Mukilteo and Seattle, is consistent with those earlier findings. It also indicates that the initial discovery of the species in the fallen cone microhabitat was not a fluke. I didn't find any <i>O. praticola</i> in this set of cones.<br />
<br />
<b>Meadowdale Neighborhood Park, Lynnwood</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFD45pMvomgMXeekfm3hhkAxWg_ZD3Favg0Tsy9CrWYGvpBf8rB9EsNQJudOUJfhPgy3ZlONky1-9VpBmnhUQU7FyvmwTTN7tb1Z6rUoMhO3xPVkpGv3Lv4NRxOrSZhiLs23poRGWMZw/s1600/P4210147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFD45pMvomgMXeekfm3hhkAxWg_ZD3Favg0Tsy9CrWYGvpBf8rB9EsNQJudOUJfhPgy3ZlONky1-9VpBmnhUQU7FyvmwTTN7tb1Z6rUoMhO3xPVkpGv3Lv4NRxOrSZhiLs23poRGWMZw/s200/P4210147.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park woodlands habitat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQRy1XhQhQogKTG3fWVoFBnTWn32uOhVUTp070Hqwovz33S0ZDJG6h4As6YIcydvwkz2oQDQBtIgMMXzQqFEa6hj_dV2e4LATu7b2EviveqV2vDxZW01pszn3k2wGomBNYaOM64raxg/s1600/P4210145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQRy1XhQhQogKTG3fWVoFBnTWn32uOhVUTp070Hqwovz33S0ZDJG6h4As6YIcydvwkz2oQDQBtIgMMXzQqFEa6hj_dV2e4LATu7b2EviveqV2vDxZW01pszn3k2wGomBNYaOM64raxg/s200/P4210145.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen Douglas-fir cones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My plan had been to tap Douglas-fir (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) cones in the more naturalistic setting of Lynndale Park. There were no parking places to be found there, however, due to a little league baseball event. But soon enough, a little meandering brought me to Meadowdale Neighborhood Park, which featured semi-natural stands of Douglas-fir and western red-ceder (<i>Thuja plicata</i>). Tapping 75 Douglas-fir cones produced 8 spiders from 3 families. <i>Cryphoeca exlineae</i> (Hahniidae) and <i>Tachygyna vancouverana</i> (Linyphiidae) were identifiable to species. No <i>O. praticola</i> were found.<br />
<br />
<b>Mill Creek Post Office</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3cfwJZ31kR6mqgL-Jo4Uqm9ROHHuH-GmihMa13bz7rqltAl3FGxJ25aSRZQaEKtlYaqLeUOGSQjPO-df5_GdymI5TVY0fURPyRweLUXsZYF907XDvo9SvDKDRR2ghG4kCJ0bLhNFrg/s1600/P4210154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3cfwJZ31kR6mqgL-Jo4Uqm9ROHHuH-GmihMa13bz7rqltAl3FGxJ25aSRZQaEKtlYaqLeUOGSQjPO-df5_GdymI5TVY0fURPyRweLUXsZYF907XDvo9SvDKDRR2ghG4kCJ0bLhNFrg/s200/P4210154.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ivy with a buzz cut...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRCYGxk9ixF2CY1JUZW3xTAeJBuGW9YtmQKBpIrCqfYGlC075UoeusH6Bga7qn9EeVQ9W-RRGnMxf33OpZXE2I5UXvsFtkHzxNWm8pyIZqZJ4rWyWqEcP4uVqoMCpnijkHNJKOX_S7Q/s1600/P4210155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRCYGxk9ixF2CY1JUZW3xTAeJBuGW9YtmQKBpIrCqfYGlC075UoeusH6Bga7qn9EeVQ9W-RRGnMxf33OpZXE2I5UXvsFtkHzxNWm8pyIZqZJ4rWyWqEcP4uVqoMCpnijkHNJKOX_S7Q/s200/P4210155.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...made cones nestled in the<br />
ivy's matrix more visible.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At this point I was not far from an urban spot in Mill Creek where I'd tapped juvenile <i>O. </i>probably<i>-praticola</i> twice before from fallen eastern white pine (<i>P. strobus</i>) cones. Since I still needed a mature specimen from there to confirm the species ID, I decided to give those cones one more try. After that, my plan was to continue eastward to <a href="https://snohomishcountywa.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Willis-D-Tucker-Community-Park-37">Willis Tucker Park</a> for another attempt at cone tapping in a less developed forest setting.<br />
<br />
Groundskeepers had recently given a "haircut" to the very thick bed of English Ivy (<i>Hedera helix</i>) growing under my cone source. This had the great benefit of making cones much more visible and accessible. But it may have also chased the spiders away; I tapped 75 fallen cones and collected only <i>one</i> spider. But it was a good one! A female <i>O. praticola</i>!<br />
<br />
<b>Alderwood Mall, Lynnwood</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7j26AoK7JDDdbNJMbQFFKyC9tOjWp3Hv5ZG-jw1epBruGaswAhrwVuxJ9mdun-rsqX2UJeWn7bsyRod6NNo3mUnVGmnNVC1DHlEhQ1QfsNqdLxtrFVzPb9zzU3JCQwvnQ1Rt_R1wNA/s1600/P4210160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7j26AoK7JDDdbNJMbQFFKyC9tOjWp3Hv5ZG-jw1epBruGaswAhrwVuxJ9mdun-rsqX2UJeWn7bsyRod6NNo3mUnVGmnNVC1DHlEhQ1QfsNqdLxtrFVzPb9zzU3JCQwvnQ1Rt_R1wNA/s200/P4210160.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh hail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So much for plans! Just as I reached Willis Tucker Park, a soaking rain began to fall. I decided to head back to Lynnwood, but stop off in <a href="https://snohomishcountywa.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Tambark-Creek-Park-59">Tambark Creek Park</a> along the way to see if it might be another good future spot for collecting. In the few minutes it took me to get there, the rain had turned to hail. Ah, spring!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZJ_0-jQUCCyByUNJHxFgB3-BTrm5JNWSr4bCUPo2brORHJgP8FFY_uaz-hvSeFJWzpxeYcijc-5Kg2BJ0LqtcmsKhfYqqPmoRdGRtOXTkUqkM3m8YuTCkJ4bxC0u4vBp5dLR8sUlZQ/s1600/P4210172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZJ_0-jQUCCyByUNJHxFgB3-BTrm5JNWSr4bCUPo2brORHJgP8FFY_uaz-hvSeFJWzpxeYcijc-5Kg2BJ0LqtcmsKhfYqqPmoRdGRtOXTkUqkM3m8YuTCkJ4bxC0u4vBp5dLR8sUlZQ/s200/P4210172.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alderwood Mall cone source</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
Despite the foul weather just a few miles east, I was pleased to find that Lynnwood had remained dry. I decided to drive around the Alderwood Mall area in search of some "mall pine" (black pine, <i>P. nigra</i>) cones to tap. I didn't have far to look. A row of black pines growing behind a vitamin shop had dropped numerous cones onto a bed of pine needle litter and sparse English ivy below. The scales of most cones were at least partially open, which isn't always the case with fallen black pine cones. I tapped 50 cones and surprisingly got a result very like Mill Creek. That is, the only spider species present in the cones was <i>O. praticola</i>, this time represented by two females.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQePSpj7kXzRlMRYut9X3l0UsovSsp8e97TudE8s44nPseyEVKngkUNjsRrxQzBiEvGr6HWGbVUF14BqTjHDACmxF1WBDyH96F0FRuqP-Ml5aUfiqt3UfR38YZ0Wx3EB6671hw-hF3_g/s1600/IMGP0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQePSpj7kXzRlMRYut9X3l0UsovSsp8e97TudE8s44nPseyEVKngkUNjsRrxQzBiEvGr6HWGbVUF14BqTjHDACmxF1WBDyH96F0FRuqP-Ml5aUfiqt3UfR38YZ0Wx3EB6671hw-hF3_g/s400/IMGP0066.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnolia against a glowering sky</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-16972730557429201602018-04-22T22:28:00.000-07:002018-04-23T08:56:52.196-07:0020-April-2018 Tacoma, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKCvNZOA48Le1nofHOaygBhCNVKCdBql20nsWf6lC5QH_p_w1MGG6BnylMIGZU-85JylWdMLKm6ogi4so_Zid4tk0lPHnCGKfSOIY5kTNmad7IvESV-OebWd_wuMYjoWcJYoC6VbPVg/s1600/2018-4-20+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKCvNZOA48Le1nofHOaygBhCNVKCdBql20nsWf6lC5QH_p_w1MGG6BnylMIGZU-85JylWdMLKm6ogi4so_Zid4tk0lPHnCGKfSOIY5kTNmad7IvESV-OebWd_wuMYjoWcJYoC6VbPVg/s320/2018-4-20+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Markers indicate traps in which no <i>Ozyptila</i><br />
(red) or juvenile <i>Ozyptila </i>(yellow) were found.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've tapped a lot of fallen conifer cones in Tacoma in my search for the introduced crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i>, but never in the city's north end. So I decided, back on April 1st, to deploy a set of cardboard live traps in shrubs in that part of the city. I returned on the 20th to see who had moved into them in the mean time.<br />
<br />
The long and the short of it is that, while all traps contained spiders (clubionids were the most common), only one trap contained any <i>Ozyptila. </i>The trap, wedged into a low fork in an <i>Arbutus unedo</i> shrub growing on the campus of University of Puget Sound, contained two juvenile <i>Ozyptila</i> that looked like <i>praticola</i>.<br />
<br />
Not wanting to go home without being able to confirm which <i>Ozyptila</i> species I had found, I proceeded to tap a set of 50 <i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i> cones which had fallen near the <i>Arbutus</i>. No luck! Next, I sifted two full bags of leaf & needle litter. Frustratingly, that exercise only turned up more juvenile <i>O. ?praticola</i>. Well, at least I know where to resume my search next time I'm in north Tacoma. I placed a new trap in the <i>Arbutus</i> and called it a day. If this does turn out to be <i>O. praticola</i>, it would appear to be a highly localized population.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRk_vpEpWViR-4spcmHL5CEbX4Dl7Ourmwbf_vJbNIN6uBdT9k40ewH6AqGobGU9Hu5RJcsqWaCUDmP8DyFgEhxD0T6OyRM9SaPMbFetVV1O7Iy5JbqSMdb-DF766B094TZRqWPvoeHQ/s1600/Tacoma-area+samples.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="1093" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRk_vpEpWViR-4spcmHL5CEbX4Dl7Ourmwbf_vJbNIN6uBdT9k40ewH6AqGobGU9Hu5RJcsqWaCUDmP8DyFgEhxD0T6OyRM9SaPMbFetVV1O7Iy5JbqSMdb-DF766B094TZRqWPvoeHQ/s400/Tacoma-area+samples.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tacoma-area fallen cone (pins) and live trap (circles) samples. <br />
Blue --<i> Ozyptila praticol</i>a confirmed with adult specimen<br />
Yellow -- <i>Ozyptila?praticola</i> juveniles found<br />
Red -- No <i>Ozyptila</i> found</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-15984734331495780212018-03-22T16:38:00.000-07:002018-03-22T16:38:52.447-07:00Cardboard Live Traps Extend Known Range Of Ozyptila praticola In Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfz8eWZblQx8MTfcnYgjqZJdWBsilw0xycjnHK6Z10ZvRUFTC8Thi55XelCELXq7Dk8-QQrrIGa6jhJoHLHzi7hwAnjrGvd2p6JUmBZ3pTRYfmQIM1cFlRqFPqenXjV7tDf8MYKc3Iw/s1600/transect+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfz8eWZblQx8MTfcnYgjqZJdWBsilw0xycjnHK6Z10ZvRUFTC8Thi55XelCELXq7Dk8-QQrrIGa6jhJoHLHzi7hwAnjrGvd2p6JUmBZ3pTRYfmQIM1cFlRqFPqenXjV7tDf8MYKc3Iw/s320/transect+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of cardboard live trap sites deployed 11-Feb-2018<br />
between Monroe and Gold Bar, Washington.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Until quite recently, I have been able to investigate the local range of the introduced European crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) as a part of my ongoing survey of the fallen conifer cone microhabitat in western Washington. This is because <i>O. praticola</i> uses the fallen cone microhabitat when it is available. Unfortunately, the fallen cone microhabitat isn't always available in places I want to search for <i>O. praticola</i>. This has become problematic as I seek to fine-tune my understanding of the current boundaries of <i>O. praticola</i>'s local range.<br />
<br />
To remedy this, I have started sampling additional microhabitats that I know <i>O. praticola</i> can be found in, including <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/03/ozyptila-praticola-found-in-tree-trunk.html">moss</a> and <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/14-dec-2017-hunts-point-bellevue.html">litter</a>. While this has been useful in specific localities, as with fallen cones neither of these microhabitats is reliably present or accessible in all of the places I wish to sample. In response to this situation, I created <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/01/spider-traps-made-of-corrugated-plastic.html">cardboard live traps</a>, an artificial microhabitat that, theoretically, I can deploy along sampling transects virtually anywhere.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDKrRp-pxIc4vMtsepanIPL9FtYSrGCsHHmIvMxlzcH6mfP7FuSS2U5aZgiSPP_IU5S22gT2pNby2Xy5U0R5ExOnhkGl38GLzZ_QN40_bRIGYha4YD1_aFsJ4Zk-_3LEwdkFRJIwk_A/s1600/March+2018+temp+history+Monroe-WA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="1439" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDKrRp-pxIc4vMtsepanIPL9FtYSrGCsHHmIvMxlzcH6mfP7FuSS2U5aZgiSPP_IU5S22gT2pNby2Xy5U0R5ExOnhkGl38GLzZ_QN40_bRIGYha4YD1_aFsJ4Zk-_3LEwdkFRJIwk_A/s400/March+2018+temp+history+Monroe-WA.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March, 2018 temperature history for Monroe, Washington. Graph modified<br />
from Wunderground. The orange line represents the 50 F (10 C) isotherm.<br />
Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I deployed my first transect of live traps along the U.S. Hwy 2 corridor between Monroe and Gold Bar, Washington, on 11 Feb. 2018. I then waited until daytime temperatures peaked above 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius) and nighttime lows remained above freezing for several consecutive days before checking the traps for spiders. I chose those parameters under the assumption that overwintering <i>O. praticola</i> would become mobile enough to start entering my traps under those conditions. But it was all guesswork; I'm learning as I go.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aVhBSOO1v8aQt86a7JAPZS885CBgG7XedRXrdRkhD-rJPNrcBlV3PRN20w90P_jOz2wteiWqTuMjP5E-gGxg1U7mmAI6aBMbLLpPn7hgc4xCYlrTA8Cy2VgaDIcmio_-EJUBnfqKrQ/s1600/IMGP0009-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="856" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5aVhBSOO1v8aQt86a7JAPZS885CBgG7XedRXrdRkhD-rJPNrcBlV3PRN20w90P_jOz2wteiWqTuMjP5E-gGxg1U7mmAI6aBMbLLpPn7hgc4xCYlrTA8Cy2VgaDIcmio_-EJUBnfqKrQ/s200/IMGP0009-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penultimate male <i>Ozyptila praticola</i><br />
in a cardboard live trap in Monroe,<br />
Washington</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had deliberately anchored the western end of the transect in a particular locality in Monroe where I already knew <i>O. praticola</i> was present. My plan was to use the Monroe traps as a bellwether that <i>O. praticola</i> had indeed become active and thus it was worth my time to check rest of the traps in the transect. On 19 March, the 10th consecutive day of my prescribed weather conditions, I checked the traps in Monroe and found one penultimate male <i>O. praticola</i> in each. I considered this the "go" signal and proceeded to check the other traps in the transect.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuFD149XTN9irGZVgFstkOD60-urKRvUtdUOZQz_34YKn9dp0s5C8nDLA5GdyDbJtczCBDzrxCeIpfXXmHdo9N442fWmAvzgnRvVHtXUrZcA5XPZqJaatYqsJiG-x57-gVxykTt9FMg/s1600/P2110067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRuFD149XTN9irGZVgFstkOD60-urKRvUtdUOZQz_34YKn9dp0s5C8nDLA5GdyDbJtczCBDzrxCeIpfXXmHdo9N442fWmAvzgnRvVHtXUrZcA5XPZqJaatYqsJiG-x57-gVxykTt9FMg/s200/P2110067.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cardboard live trap at the base of<br />
a <i>Mahonia </i>shrub in downtown Sultan <br />
harbored a female <i>O. praticola.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Traffic issues and time constraints prevented me from checking three of the traps (<b>pink </b>pins on the map, <i>below</i>), while some traps were missing entirely (<b>white </b>pins). Nevertheless, I was able to find and check enough traps between Monroe and Sultan to learn, by the presence of juvenile <i>Ozyptila</i> in them, that <i>O. praticola</i> was likely present in those localities (<b>yellow </b>pins). Further searching for adults would have been warranted in those places had I not also recovered a mature female <i>O. praticola</i> from a trap a bit further east, in downtown Sultan (<b>blue </b>pin). I found no <i>Ozyptila</i> in any trap east of downtown Sultan.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDf4fETN3-_u3K7sidoDYX8d2azlw0yRUbirLxgwCLzTIRYZMVPdSLvwPjkdJ2F0Nw_4duyDxO17cyBZplJw_lWfQI62aMt-DEKqIu9bHe4Xw9szWGaZH7dw639s97oKIpzhsFznEAg/s1600/transect+map+-+results2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDf4fETN3-_u3K7sidoDYX8d2azlw0yRUbirLxgwCLzTIRYZMVPdSLvwPjkdJ2F0Nw_4duyDxO17cyBZplJw_lWfQI62aMt-DEKqIu9bHe4Xw9szWGaZH7dw639s97oKIpzhsFznEAg/s400/transect+map+-+results2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transect results. See text for pin color code. Some pins removed for clarity.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This set of cardboard live traps helped refine our knowledge of the extent of <i>O. praticola</i>'s local range. Prior to this experiment, Monroe was the eastern-most place along the U.S. Hwy 2 corridor where I had confirmed the presence of <i>O. praticola</i> with a mature specimen. It is now clear that <i>O. praticola</i> is present at least as far east as downtown Sultan.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-72489717403440689552018-03-18T23:10:00.000-07:002018-03-18T23:23:49.564-07:0016-Mar-2018 Stanwood, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaJhgX2b8ZFmxGojIEj3__6AjbN0WDZvXsYWlfhtUQILWesT47b-ndOOOQP2EHsDnUhMVgVn_xWj7oGfjNRGM7eF8SmF3E7bzmBDtunA8iPjGEprrq84M3mwLmR58JGP4LF2b5Q_OBQ/s1600/2018-3-16+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaJhgX2b8ZFmxGojIEj3__6AjbN0WDZvXsYWlfhtUQILWesT47b-ndOOOQP2EHsDnUhMVgVn_xWj7oGfjNRGM7eF8SmF3E7bzmBDtunA8iPjGEprrq84M3mwLmR58JGP4LF2b5Q_OBQ/s320/2018-3-16+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'd had my eye on Stanwood for some time as a place to search for the introduced crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i><i>.</i> This is because Stanwood was the only remaining urban area between Seattle and Bellingham that I hadn't yet sampled. This sunny, warmish day turned out to be the day! In all, I tapped fallen conifer cones at four Stanwood sites.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8N4qh8TPz1kLlp6QvGZ2qxMkAnlIWUToec1M1nki9x7qetxire8allhCmgwRKIdQsSQI4BkqzIIy1W-4zxgzV49yPde5V65LqShqPDDpzDdma8qyEgMRha_9kPa4pskfOCaehFlT3jg/s1600/Rotation+of+IMGP0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8N4qh8TPz1kLlp6QvGZ2qxMkAnlIWUToec1M1nki9x7qetxire8allhCmgwRKIdQsSQI4BkqzIIy1W-4zxgzV49yPde5V65LqShqPDDpzDdma8qyEgMRha_9kPa4pskfOCaehFlT3jg/s200/Rotation+of+IMGP0331.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scots pine cone and owl<br />
pellet full of rodent bones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRWSzEgVTPjcpv_sjQq8sx3NskFgq-2XUTHo573IT2nLaIVruNsKnmUy9WJzXiklqq03dnKZorsHt_Qt1wL2kiryBNRSlhKSGXzYPePRhVMsYWW2rMPKV_7rKZkFSE7cPKZWH5Tlolg/s1600/IMGP0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRWSzEgVTPjcpv_sjQq8sx3NskFgq-2XUTHo573IT2nLaIVruNsKnmUy9WJzXiklqq03dnKZorsHt_Qt1wL2kiryBNRSlhKSGXzYPePRhVMsYWW2rMPKV_7rKZkFSE7cPKZWH5Tlolg/s200/IMGP0327.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rodent skull in owl pellet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For my first sample I tapped 100 fallen Scots pine (<i>Pinus sylvestris</i>) cones near Heritage Park and collected 20 spiders. The sample contained at least 6 species, but only one was mature and identifiable: a female <i>Tachygyna vancouverana</i> (Linyphiidae). The most common spider in the sample, however, was <i>Enoplognatha</i> probably-<i>ovata</i> (Theridiidae), of which there were 13 juveniles present. If this spider sample was a bit ho-hum, the sampling location was not. This was on account of the ground beneath the trees being littered with owl pellets! At least one pellet contained a visible rodent skull.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTxJKjHTJRyxr7GcDP08fK5ZSV3NSnfL2Mpf4HSZvN8mS4sRtlENFp59gH4E8OYZ1ZhVpOdPaykOV0VQ-XaKWs2IDQY2v2Lhzh8D4nLjlMe4thR-azaXwz0c5y2cU1Mp655uKZEdSIQ/s1600/IMGP0342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTxJKjHTJRyxr7GcDP08fK5ZSV3NSnfL2Mpf4HSZvN8mS4sRtlENFp59gH4E8OYZ1ZhVpOdPaykOV0VQ-XaKWs2IDQY2v2Lhzh8D4nLjlMe4thR-azaXwz0c5y2cU1Mp655uKZEdSIQ/s200/IMGP0342.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lonely parking lot pine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADj8Z1BDbODCZEA8lYsN8f5Wv3a6YoU_U8fTTkQSpjtFOT7_IA4C4GQJDESfSSIEI0t_E09gzblsc-w0R2O7J26e4bnSh8Fkxv_AV9dc0w_WCqB13OXMR_zC2NQh9NYj3NoEHosSRoQ/s1600/IMGP0345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADj8Z1BDbODCZEA8lYsN8f5Wv3a6YoU_U8fTTkQSpjtFOT7_IA4C4GQJDESfSSIEI0t_E09gzblsc-w0R2O7J26e4bnSh8Fkxv_AV9dc0w_WCqB13OXMR_zC2NQh9NYj3NoEHosSRoQ/s200/IMGP0345.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of cones, few spiders</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I found my next cone source in the parking lot of a restaurant on Route 532, the city's main thoroughfare. A lone black pine (<i>P. nigra</i>) was growing in a small patch of soil surrounded by blacktop and concrete -- not a particularly promising site. However, fallen cones and needle litter had been allowed to accumulate, so I decided to go ahead and sample. Fifty tapped cones produced only 2 spiders: another female <i>T. vancouverana</i> and another juvenile <i>E</i>. probably-<i>ovata</i>.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeiFf_nN0VuYyMSa8Dh79NA3SPMJLR3aCSf04A9WGnXKlEoZnyfMHqZjLKxts79o1G-3GRECAQBzZf_hnIjDZS2LblVaWdRk5H6P5cpsZaIdoUBpaGbP8U1LOlGdaMEDOKNErA7BV0A/s1600/IMGP0357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgeiFf_nN0VuYyMSa8Dh79NA3SPMJLR3aCSf04A9WGnXKlEoZnyfMHqZjLKxts79o1G-3GRECAQBzZf_hnIjDZS2LblVaWdRk5H6P5cpsZaIdoUBpaGbP8U1LOlGdaMEDOKNErA7BV0A/s200/IMGP0357.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This row of Douglas-firs...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4r5vl50k7XdIb6ATA1uT9H_wAhdPPvezt2S4eONe7qms4yRhQmfyjOAnWtQLZq3CtxfChWsCPupw3mka3rRcjxMedUNH0W71Y0oWAUdeika6Fp8cKWEgQxZSb5eyJJFSJsxeTPsGWHw/s1600/IMGP0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4r5vl50k7XdIb6ATA1uT9H_wAhdPPvezt2S4eONe7qms4yRhQmfyjOAnWtQLZq3CtxfChWsCPupw3mka3rRcjxMedUNH0W71Y0oWAUdeika6Fp8cKWEgQxZSb5eyJJFSJsxeTPsGWHw/s200/IMGP0352.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...provided lots of open cones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If that last sample was disappointing, the next one, taken at the Stanwood Cemetery, was the most diverse of the day. A row of Douglas-firs (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) planted along a section of the back fence provided a multitude of open cones. I tapped 50 cones and collected 24 spiders and at least 7 species, six of which were immediately identifiable. These included the linyphiids <i>Erigone aletris</i>, <i>Grammonota kincaidi</i>, <i>Neriene digna</i>, and yet more <i>T. vancouverana</i>. Also present were several juvenile <i>Platnickina tincta</i> (Theridiidae) and a penultimate male <i>Philodromus dispar</i> (Philodromidae). All in all, a typical urban sample for this part of the state.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxavJ8j4llhksdhX3w-3cSbIrrxmjmq7ORoRaMAks92ldJG-rb7Z0wfmBYVVvI-oYAfbjSttOX2rMCwF-TlUyGJsRiqTDluc5cEOglaB8zlr953__6zrYeDQY68L7yUAXcSxqJ5KhPg/s1600/IMGP0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxavJ8j4llhksdhX3w-3cSbIrrxmjmq7ORoRaMAks92ldJG-rb7Z0wfmBYVVvI-oYAfbjSttOX2rMCwF-TlUyGJsRiqTDluc5cEOglaB8zlr953__6zrYeDQY68L7yUAXcSxqJ5KhPg/s200/IMGP0388.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church Creek Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My final sampling location was the wooded Church Creek Park, where I tapped more Douglas-fir cones and also sifted a batch of moss collected from bigleaf maple (<i>Acer macrophyllum</i>) trunks and logs. The cones produced only 7 spiders from 3 species already collected this day, including the two present at each of the four sampling sites: <i>T. vancouverana</i> and <i>E.</i> probably-<i>ovata</i>.<br />
<br />
<i>Ozyptila praticola</i> was absent from all four of the cone samples. And while I haven't yet ID'd the moss spiders, there were no crab spiders in that sample, either. If <i>O. praticola</i> is present in Stanwood, it is too localized or at too low a density to be detected by my sampling methods.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi002vROqLy4WpuaKbU86Z9hIk1T7ThfQLj-hR_DQay0ecjefXdIjh2hwHgBOtR7mD80OiHc9Nlukk_M4fCmeq5XGdJPKhOa_lpBztoliFSkotVKKWKNBTuRL8Ogq7EXVOa65yl9RFwpg/s1600/Rotation+of+IMGP0401+Neriene+digna-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi002vROqLy4WpuaKbU86Z9hIk1T7ThfQLj-hR_DQay0ecjefXdIjh2hwHgBOtR7mD80OiHc9Nlukk_M4fCmeq5XGdJPKhOa_lpBztoliFSkotVKKWKNBTuRL8Ogq7EXVOa65yl9RFwpg/s400/Rotation+of+IMGP0401+Neriene+digna-crop.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Neriene digna</i> tapped from fallen Douglas-fir<br />cones in Stanwood Cemetery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-53091307571197276232018-03-12T21:17:00.001-07:002018-03-12T21:17:54.812-07:00Ozyptila praticola Found In Tree Trunk Moss<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGi-FMB0TQ7L4mDEe7gYpP-uMqxELryre9OfwgsfAJSJ5L0v7wOquGCF7X1dc9SOpepFUP9WW2rY2hNHqxUuIz5ACd4ne371PnTZ1nFpsa4wWLu0an3IcSxUTzEfT9ZzmOfLRW5rAWCg/s1600/IMGP0162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGi-FMB0TQ7L4mDEe7gYpP-uMqxELryre9OfwgsfAJSJ5L0v7wOquGCF7X1dc9SOpepFUP9WW2rY2hNHqxUuIz5ACd4ne371PnTZ1nFpsa4wWLu0an3IcSxUTzEfT9ZzmOfLRW5rAWCg/s200/IMGP0162.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deliciously shaggy moss on<br />
alder trunks, Cultus Mtn.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last week, while <a href="https://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/Journal28.html#8421">collecting spiders with Rod Crawford on Cultus Mountain</a> (Skagit County), I decided to sift some of the luxuriant moss growing on the trunks of alder trees there. One of the spiders I found therein was a male <i>Ozyptila pacifica</i>, a native thomisid. This caught my attention because I had found a female <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2017/05/29-apr-2017-brim-creek-washington.html"><i>O. pacifica</i> in cascara tree trunk moss</a> near Vader (Lewis County) the previous spring, which happened to be the only other time I had ever sifted tree trunk moss.<br />
<br />
Readers of this blog will know that I've used a variety of sampling methods in my search for the introduced thomisid <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> in western Washington. These include tapping fallen conifer cones, sifting leaf litter, placing pitfall traps, and deploying various types of cardboard live traps in shrubs and on tree trunks. But it wasn't until finding that male <i>O. pacifica</i> last week that it occurred to me to search for <i>O. praticola</i> in nature's ready-made live trap: tree trunk moss. Tree trunk moss isn't common in the urban areas I've been searching for <i>O. praticola</i>, but it can sometimes be found in protected pockets of forested parkland, especially near streams. If <i>O. praticola</i> also uses tree trunk moss, I'd have an additional tool in my <i>praticola</i> search toolbox. Time to sample tree trunk moss in the <i>O. praticola</i> zone!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY3-Q05vriPDoqlRO-ECQgEq-h63ROtiwEAmylU1spCK_sMRxPTGyt2Z3_5Jb4Yv7ewtFbCdfFx8TMTYdIiObDmteI0MjxXX2OagGkF8tjdr6wTozwdWhx3mYq9FtEMCWphgYc8vIrg/s1600/IMGP0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY3-Q05vriPDoqlRO-ECQgEq-h63ROtiwEAmylU1spCK_sMRxPTGyt2Z3_5Jb4Yv7ewtFbCdfFx8TMTYdIiObDmteI0MjxXX2OagGkF8tjdr6wTozwdWhx3mYq9FtEMCWphgYc8vIrg/s200/IMGP0178.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thin moss on alder trunks<br />
was nearly uncollectable</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Knowing that <i>O. praticola</i> is common along a certain stretch of the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle (King County), I grabbed my sifting gear and hiked towards a stretch of the trail that traversed a forested slope. The first place I looked was an unnamed wooded draw up-slope from the trail. I found several alder trees that had moss growing on their trunks, but the moss layer was so thin that it was impossible in most places to remove from the bark. The tiny bits of moss I was able to harvest held no <i>Ozyptila</i>, but many tiny theridiids.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CeKopG1R1yYxqv3lfH8gk2eeEVrx6cOoq1lcyMhQsHmnKXtKN_3oW1udVBq5RMCkVnJPOBz94z2KGU7ckHtruk9SWT08GyLliaHArbYe17ixBiaDF_afz7F0aNyrUN7eh66Z9DHh3Q/s1600/IMGP0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CeKopG1R1yYxqv3lfH8gk2eeEVrx6cOoq1lcyMhQsHmnKXtKN_3oW1udVBq5RMCkVnJPOBz94z2KGU7ckHtruk9SWT08GyLliaHArbYe17ixBiaDF_afz7F0aNyrUN7eh66Z9DHh3Q/s200/IMGP0197.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moss on maple trunk thick<br />
enough to harbor <i>O. praticola</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From there I crossed the trail and made my way down to the base of the slope to a small creek, a 35 meter drop in elevation. That's where I found what I was looking for: next to the creek stood a bigleaf maple that had a one to two inch thick cushion of moss growing on the side facing the creek. I was only able to collect a few handfuls, but even so that modest volume held two female and several juvenile <i>O. praticola</i>. I sifted a second double handful of moss removed from a nearby log, and again found a female and several juvenile <i>O. praticola</i>.<br />
<br />
What I didn't find was any <i>O. pacifica</i>, even though Seattle is theoretically in <i>O. pacifica</i>'s range. In fact, I've never found <i>O. pacifica</i> in any place where <i>O. praticola</i> is present. Whether this is due to the presence of <i>O. praticola per se</i> or to other factors is an unanswered question.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQLJkgd1R8ZaRgPBZ33MW6poM9TUi8mY86vn_dxmZgwXlX9jOfQiePkV2VtrLzgqrgo7ekA5fwUwCxW6TrfI1DGeVtznr2-LfaY5mdFwxz0JJJhG8AhFPHFbR0vAciuu_rvZPv78oQA/s1600/IMGP0212crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="559" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQLJkgd1R8ZaRgPBZ33MW6poM9TUi8mY86vn_dxmZgwXlX9jOfQiePkV2VtrLzgqrgo7ekA5fwUwCxW6TrfI1DGeVtznr2-LfaY5mdFwxz0JJJhG8AhFPHFbR0vAciuu_rvZPv78oQA/s200/IMGP0212crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>O. praticola</i> found in moss</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thinking back to the European reports I've read about <i>O. praticola</i> being found under cardboard placed on tree trunks, it makes sense that the species would also utilize tree trunk moss in places where it is available. However, I've never seen mention of this in any published source. Rod Crawford tells me that this is the first observation he is aware of of <i>O. praticola</i> in Washington using the tree trunk moss microhabitat. In any case, it looks like it will be worth my time to sift moss when I'm out looking for <i>O. praticola</i>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGEL0g_vK3tTjpYaHzyoPhlStQOjoNxTi7rIj5nWlq1AzbEV6QVi-SWWNPdZhiobHnN0PmRHY_ontEDsFFU5eHxSFvn0AmZPavOiXYNUk5Q5h6v-Toz5YElQXFUunRBp1fvx63nyl3w/s1600/IMGP0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGEL0g_vK3tTjpYaHzyoPhlStQOjoNxTi7rIj5nWlq1AzbEV6QVi-SWWNPdZhiobHnN0PmRHY_ontEDsFFU5eHxSFvn0AmZPavOiXYNUk5Q5h6v-Toz5YElQXFUunRBp1fvx63nyl3w/s400/IMGP0204.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moss, lovely moss</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-33480150191121743902018-01-25T15:20:00.000-08:002018-01-26T11:11:52.091-08:00Read Our Paper About First Pseudueophrys lanigera Records In North America<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmoqnvgdVZWReESm-wSeeQBasF3aoEqOUkmPYspX5yc5RyGbkVvhAgoGOPaPiZ1-Hx2ZO2Oeuxx2uwXhdzdYfx0Uiscf-vKrMV4ytMvg-bQvxDUwMpWP2qiroUsS0fLRr3eFM86oZWw/s1600/IMGP0240-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="710" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmoqnvgdVZWReESm-wSeeQBasF3aoEqOUkmPYspX5yc5RyGbkVvhAgoGOPaPiZ1-Hx2ZO2Oeuxx2uwXhdzdYfx0Uiscf-vKrMV4ytMvg-bQvxDUwMpWP2qiroUsS0fLRr3eFM86oZWw/s200/IMGP0240-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Pseudeuophrys lanigera</i> on<br />
building exterior in Seattle, Washington</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Readers of this blog will recall that in 2015 I <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2015/11/first-record-of-pseudophrys-lanigera.html">discovered</a> the European jumping spider <i>Pseudeuophrys lanigera</i> in some fallen pine cones in Mukilteo, Washington (Snohomish County). This constituted the first record of the species in North America. Subsequently I and others found more specimens in the Washington cities of Seattle (King County) and Bremerton (Kitsap County). Rod Crawford and I summarized these findings in a paper in <i>Pan-Pacific Entomologist</i> which can be accessed <a href="http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/refincluded/14233">here</a> free of charge.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-7659057398756155212018-01-16T23:33:00.000-08:002018-01-16T23:33:12.116-08:00Spider Traps Made Of Corrugated Plastic Perform Poorly In Wet WeatherShortly after the New Year, I deployed another set of spider traps in the woods near my house in Seattle, Washington (USA). I had a number of questions I hoped these traps would answer about the introduced crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae), including:<br />
<ul>
<li>Will <i>O. praticola</i> use traps made from corrugated plastic?</li>
<li>Will <i>O. praticola</i> use traps made of rolled-up single-sided cardboard (the easiest trap to make)?</li>
<li>Does the orientation (vertical, horizontal) of the corrugated channels make a difference?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJf7SYsRXKcJZcFI2b5R26sXVkcQb4xflYCVxP3_yqbJObBpjVprDJ0T9p-EUyxuldi2Uiy4SRhrBeZP7gAy_xEoiymFwbGBA9n3gu2KBh2WWGbwKDusgv0XsWhkLkfjZLghyphenhyphenBLQv0A/s1600/IMGP0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJf7SYsRXKcJZcFI2b5R26sXVkcQb4xflYCVxP3_yqbJObBpjVprDJ0T9p-EUyxuldi2Uiy4SRhrBeZP7gAy_xEoiymFwbGBA9n3gu2KBh2WWGbwKDusgv0XsWhkLkfjZLghyphenhyphenBLQv0A/s200/IMGP0177.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corrugated cardboard and plastic <br />
"stack" traps</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6rbqY4tHGmuPX7VdyPMZkcSEY8Z6KK_Ayqi-cGF_wkRo9zaz61Br_qSBneuvq5yCUQS8H78BYXTcHOG29MiusYLKJT6BUQ8McFGZ0PAEoa5V6lQKNwHm0i2MzojEFZAVVagfJZ_88A/s1600/IMGP0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6rbqY4tHGmuPX7VdyPMZkcSEY8Z6KK_Ayqi-cGF_wkRo9zaz61Br_qSBneuvq5yCUQS8H78BYXTcHOG29MiusYLKJT6BUQ8McFGZ0PAEoa5V6lQKNwHm0i2MzojEFZAVVagfJZ_88A/s200/IMGP0172.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corrugated cardboard "roll" traps</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I had <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/01/catching-ozyptila-praticola-in-non.html">recently found</a> that small stacks of flute B cardboard placed in the crotches of shrubs work very well as <i>O. praticola</i> traps. Therefore, I made another set of these "stack" traps as a control. Next, I made a plastic version of the control traps, using corrugated plastic instead of cardboard. And finally, I rolled strips of single-face flute A cardboard into cylinders to make "roll" traps. This is the same material that I used <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2018/01/catching-ozyptila-praticola-in-non.html">previously</a> for tree trunk bands. On 4-Jan I set out five cardboard stack traps, five plastic stack traps, and ten roll traps, each in the crotch of a different shrub. On 15-Jan, I checked the traps for spiders. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotrqDbzTq7mjvHxMaNE-vZYowQbjtOmCvdI-dqqhJLZzyOaKezI7L20boDBV4QIt-V4hlifmVZ2NjA9ZUjrEQfuAAVBb7nhuzDJXW9gNSWBVwyEo1dh6vjF9UmaX5P9dmz0BGa8PrdQ/s1600/IMGP0415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotrqDbzTq7mjvHxMaNE-vZYowQbjtOmCvdI-dqqhJLZzyOaKezI7L20boDBV4QIt-V4hlifmVZ2NjA9ZUjrEQfuAAVBb7nhuzDJXW9gNSWBVwyEo1dh6vjF9UmaX5P9dmz0BGa8PrdQ/s200/IMGP0415.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Films of water formed inside the<br />channels of the plastic traps</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Much to my surprise, the plastic stack traps were almost entirely devoid of spiders. The reason, it seemed, was that a film of water was blocking the bottom end of many of the corrugated channels. This was true even though no rain had fallen in over two days. Water droplets also adhered to the inner walls of many channels. I had considered the propensity of cardboard to absorb water to be a potential problem here in rainy Seattle, but it appears to actually be a positive attribute of the material in so far as it prevents water droplets and films from forming. I will re-test the corrugated plastic traps again this summer, during the dry season. However, they are clearly unsuitable for use during wet weather.<br />
<br />
The cardboard stacks again performed well; each contained at least one <i>O. praticola</i>. In contrast, only six of the ten cardboard rolls contained any <i>O. praticola</i>. There was no correlation between the orientation of the corrugated channels and the presence of <i>O. praticola</i> within.<br />
<br />
Even though the roll traps didn't perform as well as the stacks, they may be the best trap to use in summer because they will be much easier to extract spiders from. The layers of the single-face cardboard I use to make roll traps are easily separated regardless of whether they are wet or dry. But the layers of the double-face cardboard used to make stack traps only separate cleanly when the cardboard is damp. Summers in western Washington are dry, not damp.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktXS-dIENfiXiFLoXRk74rX_dEPJEcTc7DGibOY1Jd-d2UZWf07AtsT2xkEZF8W3r_nAYjTztM3b6Pu2JjPJknddSXOb7BYFh70jC90xgKkmyym9L3MDHdIZ1HtbX1P-BTdqK5czsRw/s1600/IMGP0403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktXS-dIENfiXiFLoXRk74rX_dEPJEcTc7DGibOY1Jd-d2UZWf07AtsT2xkEZF8W3r_nAYjTztM3b6Pu2JjPJknddSXOb7BYFh70jC90xgKkmyym9L3MDHdIZ1HtbX1P-BTdqK5czsRw/s200/IMGP0403.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snails like my traps, too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Although the traps had only been in the field for 11 days, gastropods had started to seriously degrade the outermost layer of some of the roll traps. The problem wasn't as serious with the stack traps because they were made with thicker face paper. In future, I'll put a band of box tape around the entire circumference of each roll trap to help protect it from grazing slugs and snails.</div>
Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-53316414025658626752018-01-08T20:31:00.001-08:002018-01-08T20:31:26.659-08:007-Jan-2018 Spanaway, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-Sm0GBw03GxolnLyVFmoo5nFkRexBavbr-iuIYaVcYXulRWIZblNiBgVYbofoJHHh3VuqXONF5YGmdaPkG0cXNwglM8aIDN7JRT3e0SgiFpmPYzHSve__L9zTShNQPKBo707SEi0Ng/s1600/site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-Sm0GBw03GxolnLyVFmoo5nFkRexBavbr-iuIYaVcYXulRWIZblNiBgVYbofoJHHh3VuqXONF5YGmdaPkG0cXNwglM8aIDN7JRT3e0SgiFpmPYzHSve__L9zTShNQPKBo707SEi0Ng/s320/site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Blue pins: <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> confirmed via adult specimen.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Red pins: No <i>O. praticola</i> adults or ?<i>praticola</i> juveniles found.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the benefits of tapping fallen conifer cones is that they usually aren't too wet to sample unless a soaking rain falls. Chances of afternoon rain were high in the Spanaway area on this day, but I didn't think that enough rain had fallen the night before to make cones too wet for some morning tapping. As luck would have it, I was right, and managed to tap cones at two sites before the predicted rain began to fall.<br />
<br />
<b>Walmart</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xYQima3_Ba1RafaJ8QTmVc68FBTo3JLDVX-IWDD22VsWEQbkNUHUK9NTKYQbzpIJm21j2uHL9BR96WHac6PRMkjzf1A2FqSHjkES9O3X1ybZGnfTuhzVtLN17TAx0KS3WxtOEcJhSQ/s1600/IMGP0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xYQima3_Ba1RafaJ8QTmVc68FBTo3JLDVX-IWDD22VsWEQbkNUHUK9NTKYQbzpIJm21j2uHL9BR96WHac6PRMkjzf1A2FqSHjkES9O3X1ybZGnfTuhzVtLN17TAx0KS3WxtOEcJhSQ/s200/IMGP0214.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young black pines along<br />
the Walmart border</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1KEnc6_shnmdFeNz6qPzqJpzCc9PA9rdlheKEQvLeYC9p6aJrC-1KAWQiXbbRsN1_3yzRmFUHwo8Xt5oV-oP-mz0jDSK-9N2mAe8jXv6AOK4J75ukIsOJbFInzb42ONhUxnFlXgM2w/s1600/IMGP0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1KEnc6_shnmdFeNz6qPzqJpzCc9PA9rdlheKEQvLeYC9p6aJrC-1KAWQiXbbRsN1_3yzRmFUHwo8Xt5oV-oP-mz0jDSK-9N2mAe8jXv6AOK4J75ukIsOJbFInzb42ONhUxnFlXgM2w/s200/IMGP0209.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallen black pine and<br />
Douglas-fir cones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In about the year 2001, a Walmart was built on the site of a former gravel pit in the south end of town. Subsequently, a double row of black pines (<i>Pinus nigra</i>) and Douglas-firs (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) was planted along much of the property's northern and eastern borders. These trees are now large enough to produce cones, and I had no trouble finding 100 cones to tap. Although the cones' scales were only partially opened, they still produced 27 spiders and 5 identifiable species, mostly linyphiids. The most abundant species was <i>Tachygyna vancouverana</i>, with a total of 15 males and females.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiBtF6LgtQJJi6T52sbhsVVBMRtPP7FvUGO6U-usIniFlh8ytj53Lf8hrdecuokxHIuXcA0CcaLljbK6vcYa88cG_HRChHMP8T0YQyf-xDIxd8hpoQl4_bziPLeHUs0L6JL0Lr4xbTA/s1600/Rotation+of+Wubana+pacifica+2+-+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1575" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiBtF6LgtQJJi6T52sbhsVVBMRtPP7FvUGO6U-usIniFlh8ytj53Lf8hrdecuokxHIuXcA0CcaLljbK6vcYa88cG_HRChHMP8T0YQyf-xDIxd8hpoQl4_bziPLeHUs0L6JL0Lr4xbTA/s200/Rotation+of+Wubana+pacifica+2+-+crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>Wubana pacifica</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rZ7S1tagMfjLSS0xFSZA4gKh5iH-lBm_eeynB7A-q-8KwwZFFAkafzE5UI0NODbfZg2AIWWT-hIuX9KepkVnI_iPJU7OKoYQ4yFwk0sLucry8RcLwo8lz9gLRd54knvUqoUHs7pZGw/s1600/Wubana+pacifica+6+-+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="979" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rZ7S1tagMfjLSS0xFSZA4gKh5iH-lBm_eeynB7A-q-8KwwZFFAkafzE5UI0NODbfZg2AIWWT-hIuX9KepkVnI_iPJU7OKoYQ4yFwk0sLucry8RcLwo8lz9gLRd54knvUqoUHs7pZGw/s200/Wubana+pacifica+6+-+crop.jpg" width="173" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wubana pacifica</i>'s white "butt spot"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Also present were two female <i>Wubana pacifica</i>, a species I've only <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2016/02/26-feb-2016-square-lake-washington.html">tapped from cones once before</a> but which I recognized immediately due to its white "butt spot".<br />
<br />
Light rain was falling by the time I finished sampling at this location, so I delayed my lunch break and immediately began searching for another set of cones to tap. I hoped to complete one more sample before everything got too wet.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Power Substation</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgT2Ab5XVb2NWG0A5KLMeFRXZEkaKanE7LIWDlIc6jdI7NrR8YNMGYwWZ7cz3VhrMhE7ezLaBfBTAKatnwW2PVuq6DySZBQOjZcnL8y-N7pmZF-HGhuyWFOiwI8wLu0pQGIQbd8IMEA/s1600/IMGP0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgT2Ab5XVb2NWG0A5KLMeFRXZEkaKanE7LIWDlIc6jdI7NrR8YNMGYwWZ7cz3VhrMhE7ezLaBfBTAKatnwW2PVuq6DySZBQOjZcnL8y-N7pmZF-HGhuyWFOiwI8wLu0pQGIQbd8IMEA/s200/IMGP0224.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White pine at power substation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0VTwhSWKklEBztpo_4Lq9h7TpIHADNsyYQMdWqkRrLjQU9uiivmLcBVmgTfTwTxRIGgiebH68NEbO-TIGMYrddxbqXh2IFANBQrM6-KbeFlO9yG5-6UXTJpbl-zVBpP-JQZqyvtdYA/s1600/IMGP0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0VTwhSWKklEBztpo_4Lq9h7TpIHADNsyYQMdWqkRrLjQU9uiivmLcBVmgTfTwTxRIGgiebH68NEbO-TIGMYrddxbqXh2IFANBQrM6-KbeFlO9yG5-6UXTJpbl-zVBpP-JQZqyvtdYA/s200/IMGP0221.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of poorly-opened<br />white pine cones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Fortunately I found what I was looking for fairly quickly at a nearby power substation: a white pine tree (<i>P. strobus</i> or <i>P. monticola</i>) large enough to shelter me (and the fallen cones beneath) from the worst of the rain that was now falling in earnest. The cone scales were poorly opened here, too, but they were open far enough for small spiders. Still, I only found 3 spiders in the 50 cones I tapped, all <i>T. vancouverana</i>. I would have tapped an additional 50 cones, but the pouring rain brought my efforts to a halt.<br />
<br />
I'm always curious to see whether I find the introduced European spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> at any given location. I didn't find any this day, or indeed in any of the other approximately two dozen sets of cones that I've tapped in Pierce County (see map above). If it's present in the county, it's highly localized.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVZqxspuDKIXm0xRnzxCsDI5ZkKPm6AtvR9yleaGf8VH3_hcM4oCiNbDaKC7TZICCUu5yo3T_qoDSJCLMyBnxOMI3cLjxG6eyjV3DwaCtS1kDEp0B59nPtuZXfPNpaS4ic6ZFauK8Ag/s1600/IMGP0223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVZqxspuDKIXm0xRnzxCsDI5ZkKPm6AtvR9yleaGf8VH3_hcM4oCiNbDaKC7TZICCUu5yo3T_qoDSJCLMyBnxOMI3cLjxG6eyjV3DwaCtS1kDEp0B59nPtuZXfPNpaS4ic6ZFauK8Ag/s400/IMGP0223.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's that time of year...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-23446789768270951472018-01-03T15:48:00.000-08:002018-01-03T18:44:03.588-08:007-Dec-2017 Mowich Road, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdP1K6K_hcnO2atcY_N6BnNY5wtEvyw84qJy1krWsENKbcX4rRmd6p8DxvYEmIJIMNHcUj5LUZ7Ur2JKi2GoVAHRSsV2JuQTkhToHHUveLE5V4l1GzpNZ5zTj3mY8TuqiAKDPhQtvJCQ/s1600/2017-12-10+Mowat+stretch+site+location.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1280" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdP1K6K_hcnO2atcY_N6BnNY5wtEvyw84qJy1krWsENKbcX4rRmd6p8DxvYEmIJIMNHcUj5LUZ7Ur2JKi2GoVAHRSsV2JuQTkhToHHUveLE5V4l1GzpNZ5zTj3mY8TuqiAKDPhQtvJCQ/s320/2017-12-10+Mowat+stretch+site+location.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rod Crawford and I had originally planned to sample east of Wilkeson along South Prairie Creek in Pierce County. But en route on the highway, something we ran over got stuck in the undercarriage and was dragging. Luckily, there happened to be a Jiffy Lube near our exit in Bonney Lake, and the folks there removed the "hitchhiker" for us (for free -- thanks, guys!). Since the road to South Prairie Creek was known to be quite rough, and we weren't sure of the condition of the undercarriage, we opted for an alternate trip plan that Rod had prepared. Our new destination became a stretch of Mowich Section Road (Rte 165) south of Carbonado.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR_2CF-mJ39CNrUnJbDbJL1EENFiLUwgS1qE1bVEQf0m7ZIC13_qntAQkEysK4U9k_-wYzE5CDJQN-GsCNmWd7wZLgYq3ENyWhKRWG-F2hQWjTlWdfexgtCes9EwuvUt1c6aTipjHDQ/s1600/IMGP0276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR_2CF-mJ39CNrUnJbDbJL1EENFiLUwgS1qE1bVEQf0m7ZIC13_qntAQkEysK4U9k_-wYzE5CDJQN-GsCNmWd7wZLgYq3ENyWhKRWG-F2hQWjTlWdfexgtCes9EwuvUt1c6aTipjHDQ/s200/IMGP0276.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loose bark on fallen tree...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcW-ffMnml_Bs0f1b3LA3hoAODp7_8MPrg3YNURyygZPJsMacczfmKnI7opes53zcwDIqWlev4TTNmhhN_rdzZ8LLvCBGecJKtahUasStV9Bm6CVzjvOWQ27G1JeyURZC765EIcF3zA/s1600/IMGP0285-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1245" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcW-ffMnml_Bs0f1b3LA3hoAODp7_8MPrg3YNURyygZPJsMacczfmKnI7opes53zcwDIqWlev4TTNmhhN_rdzZ8LLvCBGecJKtahUasStV9Bm6CVzjvOWQ27G1JeyURZC765EIcF3zA/s200/IMGP0285-crop.jpg" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...harbored male <i>Coriarachne</i><br />
<i>brunneipes</i>, among others</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rod had carefully chosen the original and alternate sites because the region was experiencing a temperature inversion; both sites were high enough in elevation to be in warmer air than the lowlands, but not so high in elevation as to be snowbound. Or so we thought! As it turned out, any shaded ground was blanketed with snow. This meant that much of the forest understory would be unavailable for sampling. However, conifer foliage and sun-exposed roadside vegetation were dry, so we thoroughly sampled those microhabitats. In addition, Rod was able to find some cold but still productive alder litter, and I found a fallen tree suspended above snow level that had a variety of spiders beneath its sloughing bark.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVan10d_qZVr0phj82RTvdTfFGAS75DnFfMLq2K4Pp-FYC31GRzDVDwK0wARdvX1jLI-Hh4y51QtsvhIvHgljkpTZL3jnMm1aelJBHQbOeEeJCsYhDvuRZoo-0gf1nHuwbtJvNmrpZZA/s1600/IMGP0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVan10d_qZVr0phj82RTvdTfFGAS75DnFfMLq2K4Pp-FYC31GRzDVDwK0wARdvX1jLI-Hh4y51QtsvhIvHgljkpTZL3jnMm1aelJBHQbOeEeJCsYhDvuRZoo-0gf1nHuwbtJvNmrpZZA/s200/IMGP0264.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cone source was a dead tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpssz37qP9uqHr-q0Pory_HqW6YmO0bR0rXUqZWqxZVnMyt1jgM5hhKYYaZICdBgOihk-9UxDoxWiMo6L1AXxoohF0Ejp5lcu5m7iGJN1e_4D5BqM2wSCx2nPpIHRN6IruZbS6FzvuWg/s1600/IMGP0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpssz37qP9uqHr-q0Pory_HqW6YmO0bR0rXUqZWqxZVnMyt1jgM5hhKYYaZICdBgOihk-9UxDoxWiMo6L1AXxoohF0Ejp5lcu5m7iGJN1e_4D5BqM2wSCx2nPpIHRN6IruZbS6FzvuWg/s200/IMGP0268.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All cones were well opened</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The snow created a problem for me in particular in that if there were any fallen cones, they were now buried. So I opted to tap the only cones available: Douglas-fir (<i>Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>) cones still attached to a dead tree. I picked and then tapped 34 cones and found one salticid exuvium and five juvenile spiders: two indeterminate salticids, one <i>Cyclosa</i>, one <i>Araneus</i> ?<i>diadematus</i>, and one <i>Philodromus rufus</i>. In other words, a typically arboreal sample.<br />
<br />
You can <a href="http://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/Journal27.html#6920">read Rod's trip narrative here</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_FmFY7Wx75dIaRfe0SFfX6eF7mmagVi3GmYhtYYgQ5pFHO4Gv6K_imtzeOWY4I0fzNTwQ4qKtCCnqylvTZCKZMcyut1_8j43H5MEluqcWuD2Cq-QQp5vwcFGdOl3F4j5NUlEPZCUJA/s1600/IMGP0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_FmFY7Wx75dIaRfe0SFfX6eF7mmagVi3GmYhtYYgQ5pFHO4Gv6K_imtzeOWY4I0fzNTwQ4qKtCCnqylvTZCKZMcyut1_8j43H5MEluqcWuD2Cq-QQp5vwcFGdOl3F4j5NUlEPZCUJA/s400/IMGP0221.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh no, snow!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-24702407895689290222018-01-01T16:35:00.000-08:002018-01-11T16:37:11.545-08:00Catching Ozyptila praticola In Non-lethal Cardboard Traps<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2O8FdHcLqFpSSHfLLk5Uuwm9zCNQ-5ha4VRbZdvmz2zZkYjEzUrsGo_zqO6da-8zLuTHwlZCk61BZHpjlx8gayRLx62mvDoyLdaajAK0gjnU3mpu-1t520c5so0dTASJAiT5pSeQg-A/s1600/Site+7+-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2O8FdHcLqFpSSHfLLk5Uuwm9zCNQ-5ha4VRbZdvmz2zZkYjEzUrsGo_zqO6da-8zLuTHwlZCk61BZHpjlx8gayRLx62mvDoyLdaajAK0gjnU3mpu-1t520c5so0dTASJAiT5pSeQg-A/s320/Site+7+-2.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3" x 3" flute B corrugated cardboard<br />
stack spider trap in <i>Mahonia</i> sp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Early in 2017 I decided to augment my cone-tapping efforts by deploying pitfall* traps. In theory, doing so should have made my ongoing search for the introduced European crab spider <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) more robust. My plan was to place pitfall traps in areas where fallen conifer cones weren't available, but where I still needed a sample.<br />
<br />
I abandoned my pitfall plan after a few months, however, for two reasons. First, when I placed control pitfall traps in an area I knew to be rife with <i>O. praticola</i>, I didn't catch any. This was despite the fact that I'd placed the traps in April and May, months of peak male <i>O. praticola</i> activity (pitfall studies in Europe capture mostly male <i>O. praticola</i>). Secondly, I was getting a troubling amount of bycatch. Even as my pitfall traps failed to capture my target species, they did capture and kill amphibians, bumblebees, slugs and snails. I found this destruction of non-target species to be unethical and unacceptable.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlSEEGCWjr6ZVXszJBkaBEawGqJ5pYX8_537Lt_fTq_dhfbwJ0VI9GmLpiTzQ3WXlK-1pWiBRAOdjYWB3f1hnyECRUqq2TRehMNXRvkYy0IW8LuxgHx3GNMy908AEwa_-vCQETtTxeQ/s1600/Site+2+-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlSEEGCWjr6ZVXszJBkaBEawGqJ5pYX8_537Lt_fTq_dhfbwJ0VI9GmLpiTzQ3WXlK-1pWiBRAOdjYWB3f1hnyECRUqq2TRehMNXRvkYy0IW8LuxgHx3GNMy908AEwa_-vCQETtTxeQ/s200/Site+2+-2.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5" x 5" flute B corrugated<br />
cardboard stack spider trap<br />
in <i>Acer macrophyllum</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the mean time I'd been leafing through papers that mentioned <i>O. praticola</i>, and learned that the species is sometimes <a href="http://www.european-arachnology.org/wdp/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/221-257_Szinetar_Horvath.pdf">found on tree trunks in Europe</a>. Among the many gizmos used to collect them on tree trunks, traps made of corrugated cardboard caught my attention. For example, <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/195442">Bogya (1999) found</a> that <i>O. praticola</i> overwintered in or under corrugated cardboard bands placed on the lower trunks of pear and apple trees in an orchard in northeastern Hungary. The traps were placed "in autumn before leaf fall and were collected 2-2.5 months later, after the first frost." <a href="https://arages.de/user_upload/psb_publicationmanagement/pdf/AM51_67_72.pdf">Machac & Tuf (2016) reported</a> that in summer in the Czech Republic, pieces of cardboard on oak tree trunks were "inhabited mostly by females with egg sacs, e.g. <i>Clubiona pallidula</i>, <i>Nuctenea umbratica</i> or <i>Ozyptila praticola</i>".<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
So here was another method of detecting <i>O. praticola</i> that was also non-lethal to other animals - yay! In addition, cardboard is inexpensive and compostable. I decided to conduct a pilot study to see whether cardboard traps were an effective way to capture <i>O. praticola</i> here in western Washington.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQ-vDToeLnRh7SaefaXA_3tt0MOqiWhXB_SuUMf1ICYJpXdXTrOxkm4kP_CiRCT4HuuKIknuHK680696aqGMVTB2-3Zx2MFJe0SrOVS4-r5l0IvWPpFYKSEyfdUUREidHClyTGN34ZQ/s1600/IMGP0171-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="1600" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQ-vDToeLnRh7SaefaXA_3tt0MOqiWhXB_SuUMf1ICYJpXdXTrOxkm4kP_CiRCT4HuuKIknuHK680696aqGMVTB2-3Zx2MFJe0SrOVS4-r5l0IvWPpFYKSEyfdUUREidHClyTGN34ZQ/s200/IMGP0171-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Single-face flute A (<i>left</i>) & double-face<br />
flute B (<i>right</i>) cardboard used in traps</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The first step was to decide which corrugation flute size to use, since my traps needed to have spaces large enough to accommodate adult female <i>O. praticola</i>. Oddly, almost none of the researchers using cardboard to trap spiders have reported the flute size they used. I decided to try both flute A and flute B. Flute A cardboard has a wavelength of 9 mm and a peak amplitude of 4 mm. Flute B is slightly smaller, having a wavelength of 8 mm and a peak amplitude of 3 mm. Most of the shipping boxes I found in recycling bins were made with smaller flute sizes, but with perseverance and <a href="http://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/index.html">Rod Crawford</a>'s help, I managed to find some nice pieces of clean discarded flute B cardboard. Flute A, however, was nowhere to be found. I ended up ordering a 250 foot roll of 3 inch, single-face flute A cardboard from an office supply store.<br />
<br />
My plan was to do the following in my <i>O. praticola</i> control plot in Seattle:<br />
<ul>
<li>Wrap a band of flute A cardboard around the trunks of ten trees, with the corrugated side facing the tree. Place the band 2 ft off the ground on five trees, and 5 ft off the ground on another five.</li>
<li>Place one six-layer stack of 3" x 3" flute B squares in the crotch of each of five shrubs. The bottom of the stack should be close to the top surface of the litter layer.</li>
<li>Place one six-layer stack of 5" x 5" flute B squares in the lowest crotch of each of five trees.</li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-tJdTbhbUpZGaR8jaisE559UZS98zVAiD63HBUHE4XW0QXL-xVa_nfpSD4_9oQW5k5Pz2J9YwFJOlbiic8cYTrNAQ-jBXFdDpluFKrgdalbnpcclXHRq01AE4EYgbd8nvaa-pbs0HQ/s1600/IMGP0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-tJdTbhbUpZGaR8jaisE559UZS98zVAiD63HBUHE4XW0QXL-xVa_nfpSD4_9oQW5k5Pz2J9YwFJOlbiic8cYTrNAQ-jBXFdDpluFKrgdalbnpcclXHRq01AE4EYgbd8nvaa-pbs0HQ/s200/IMGP0085.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3" single-face flute A<br />
corrugated cardboard band<br />
spider trap on <i>Acer saccharum</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When making the cardboard stacks, I alternated the orientation of each square of cardboard so that its corrugated channels were perpendicular to the neighboring pieces. The stacks were held together with cotton string and placed "upright" in the shrub or tree so that half of the channels were vertical and half horizontal. On 25-Sept, while I waited for my roll of flute A to arrive, I made and deployed these flute B stacks. On 1-Oct I put up the tree trunk bands and also added two squares of flute A cardboard to each stack.<br />
<br />
On 8-Oct I checked all bands and stacks for inhabitants. Most contained spiders, but none were <i>O. praticola</i>. I didn't check the traps again until the end of December (half on the 20th and the rest on the 30th), and by then both types of traps contained <i>O. praticola</i>. Raccoons had destroyed 5 tree trunk bands, but of the 5 remaining, one contained no <i>O. praticola</i> and the four that did contained a total of 6 females, 0 males, and 20 juveniles.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeFWjMJK1gJF_UB8krtjIunrJ1i-hejkcvSYJKHsm2uxxTIV9xUhcst5U2vRm0-XOkSNp_UXlAdszDm9d6rrIQpf3hmLrqiY_c6SHaKj_7U6AcC1eiYT5_6eaclY1YdVQXEtSwgxoJQ/s1600/PA010080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyeFWjMJK1gJF_UB8krtjIunrJ1i-hejkcvSYJKHsm2uxxTIV9xUhcst5U2vRm0-XOkSNp_UXlAdszDm9d6rrIQpf3hmLrqiY_c6SHaKj_7U6AcC1eiYT5_6eaclY1YdVQXEtSwgxoJQ/s200/PA010080.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of a 3" single-face flute A<br />
corrugated cardboard band<br />
spider trap </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All five 3" x 3" stacks in shrub crotches survived intact, and each contained at least one mature <i>O. praticola</i>. Altogether, they contained 21 female, 1 male, and 125 juvenile <i>O. praticola</i>. I found adult females in the channels of both the flute A and the flute B pieces.<br />
<br />
Of the 5" x 5" stacks in tree crotches, one had been removed and thrown to the ground by a raccoon, and contained no <i>O. praticola</i>. Of the four stacks remaining in place, only two contained adult <i>O. praticola</i>. In total, the four surviving stacks contained 3 female, 0 male, and 16 juvenile <i>O. praticola</i>.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5TlGjN_0HGYoG0dQli2k0JPJ4dyiBKxoRC0nSGxdjUNgslq4qpnJuUP2i7eHRWPH_6AdeIbH9t1RhHqbRojI_vUDauxMfHRVaERo5ncrCKBxdvxQaKagvxQISyuxSW3ZCLD14O7V4g/s1600/IMGP0024-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5TlGjN_0HGYoG0dQli2k0JPJ4dyiBKxoRC0nSGxdjUNgslq4qpnJuUP2i7eHRWPH_6AdeIbH9t1RhHqbRojI_vUDauxMfHRVaERo5ncrCKBxdvxQaKagvxQISyuxSW3ZCLD14O7V4g/s320/IMGP0024-crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This female <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> had been wintering inside<br />
a corrugated cardboard band on a tree trunk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Apparently <i>O. praticola</i> had not yet climbed above the litter in search of overwintering sites when I checked the traps on 8-Oct, but had done so at some point in the following two months. Of the three trap permutations I tried, the 3" x 3" stack in shrub crotch was the clear winner for late fall trapping. Not only did every trap contain adult <i>O. praticola</i>, but the raccoons left them completely untouched. Once the weather warms up in spring and overwintering spiders become active again, however, I can't be certain which type of trap will provide the best odds of capturing <i>O. praticola</i>. Recall that European researchers have found female <i>O. praticola</i> in trunk traps in summer. Perhaps different traps will be ideal in different seasons. I guess I'll find out!<br />
<br />
A note on removing spiders from cardboard traps: On 8-Oct, the traps were still fairly dry and so I could prod spiders out of the corrugated channels with a fine wire. However, by December the traps were wet from seasonal rain. This made the wire useless as a prod, since it got stuck in the softened channel walls. Therefore, the only way to remove the spiders was to completely destroy the traps by pulling apart the layers of the cardboard and shaking them into a sweep net. When planning different sampling methods, it could be worth bearing in mind that cardboard traps can be collected and processed even on rainy days. This can't always be said for litter sifting or other methods of collection.<br />
<br />
Other spiders common in this set of cardboard traps included juvenile <i>Cheiracanthium</i> sp. and female <i>Clubiona pallidula</i> (both introduced species), female and male <i>Tachygyna ursina</i> and <i>T. vancouverana</i>, juvenile <i>Philodromus</i> sp., juvenile <i>Phrurotimpus</i> sp., and female <i>Pelegrina aeneola</i> and <i>Phanias albeolus</i>.<br />
<br />
I still have a lot of work to do to determine which type of trap works best when, and how to raccoon-proof tree bands, but at least this pilot study serves as proof of concept.<br />
<br />
*Simon Leather wrote an interesting and entertaining history of the pitfall trap, which can be found <a href="https://simonleather.wordpress.com/2015/04/14/entomological-classics-the-pitfall-trap/">here</a>.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-19384657570197441872017-12-14T23:35:00.000-08:002017-12-17T18:44:21.420-08:0014-Dec-2017 Hunts Point & Bellevue, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYtcx6BTzYKT1ZduhIbnfgObtZzM1Icy6NOOac3JFUJKJ_9gHYlCMR2xWp-lYqzeot0VbFzkgYz2Po5lkCvPSjk71gi7RehwE4wlU0lLnKQTRP57PYFENj-OO0HFmOeEhqX3owc7IQg/s1600/2017-12-14+Hunts+Point+-+Bellevue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="1278" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYtcx6BTzYKT1ZduhIbnfgObtZzM1Icy6NOOac3JFUJKJ_9gHYlCMR2xWp-lYqzeot0VbFzkgYz2Po5lkCvPSjk71gi7RehwE4wlU0lLnKQTRP57PYFENj-OO0HFmOeEhqX3owc7IQg/s320/2017-12-14+Hunts+Point+-+Bellevue.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map.<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Blue: <i>O. praticola</i> confirmed via adult specimen.<br />Yellow: Juvenile <i>O</i>. ?<i>praticola </i>found.<br />Red: No <i>O. praticola</i> adults or ?<i>praticola </i>juveniles found.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With a few hours free on this, the final day in an extended dry spell, I decided to cross Lake Washington to look for <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) in the Bellevue area. I was sure that Bellevue lay solidly in the heart of <i>O. praticola</i>'s local range. However, since I've done very little sampling there, I had no specimen to validate my assumption.<br />
<br />
<b>Hunts Point</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnCOjXz52i-xgkiZk6BAn4f1EGPp6bD1zoASmywhDcnVcY3KaNCdIVTXBXRl5b0QVqqExd5DoWmPAw4ZybHoqODmGiChZvyWzNxIJRGAzZ2RDrnTJK0zxQNBTSFg4GEO41O0tCUZjZQ/s1600/IMGP0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnCOjXz52i-xgkiZk6BAn4f1EGPp6bD1zoASmywhDcnVcY3KaNCdIVTXBXRl5b0QVqqExd5DoWmPAw4ZybHoqODmGiChZvyWzNxIJRGAzZ2RDrnTJK0zxQNBTSFg4GEO41O0tCUZjZQ/s200/IMGP0384.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black pines at Hunts Point<br />
Town Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I exited Hwy 520 at 84th Ave because I had seen, via Google Street View, that that street was lined with black pine (<i>Pinus nigra</i>) trees. This was indeed the case, but unfortunately their litter and fallen cones had been removed. So I proceeded to the next possibility, which was another row of black pines next to the Hunts Point Town Hall. The litter there was intact, but the fallen cones were poorly opened. Nevertheless, they harbored enough spiders to let me know I was on the right track; tapping 50 cones got me 3 spiders, two of which were <i>O. praticola</i> juveniles.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KJvUKKBrQ2NBn2F9rGap2lB_Whl_O3-N6URLrOczec6-dK_tNjvYiKcZCA4-MdSWp6u53mYpekWYnKMXeubkWkTfuRt3Max4XLUHScmEvNlb0N5jN7HrVNau22uwAES-EWyNUeBPWg/s1600/IMGP0383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KJvUKKBrQ2NBn2F9rGap2lB_Whl_O3-N6URLrOczec6-dK_tNjvYiKcZCA4-MdSWp6u53mYpekWYnKMXeubkWkTfuRt3Max4XLUHScmEvNlb0N5jN7HrVNau22uwAES-EWyNUeBPWg/s200/IMGP0383.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cone scales poorly opened,<br />
but needle-wood chip litter...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUSL6bT8ptNKBUHTLdpjg8pzwJiYQu8YhBe7hEB9Gwv_5j5mvyxPE-m7c-6G3WLB59I_3n-Ww_077oloVdAZIS0-QjCmlNLIiQ_6xs5xVTAXxb5Qf9BaE-84cJ2vWb6FVx02ArNI_hQ/s1600/Rotation+of+IMGP0392-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="1232" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUSL6bT8ptNKBUHTLdpjg8pzwJiYQu8YhBe7hEB9Gwv_5j5mvyxPE-m7c-6G3WLB59I_3n-Ww_077oloVdAZIS0-QjCmlNLIiQ_6xs5xVTAXxb5Qf9BaE-84cJ2vWb6FVx02ArNI_hQ/s200/Rotation+of+IMGP0392-crop.jpg" width="175" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...produced several adult <i>O. praticola</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/11-dec-2017-kent-redux-covington.html">Having had success sifting pine litter in a similar situation the other day in Kent</a>, I decided that sifting another batch here, where I knew <i>O. praticola</i> was present, was probably a better use of my very limited time than looking for another cone deposit that might (or might not) produce a mature specimen. This turned out to be a good decision; the bag of litter (pine needles and wood chip mulch) I sifted contained 6 <i>O. praticola</i>, including 3 females and 1 male. <a href="http://huntspoint-wa.gov/">Hunts Point</a> is a tiny town of just 500 inhabitants. There are probably more <i>O. praticola</i> there than people.<br />
<br />
<b>Bellevue</b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoRAAG_dxR4wp9GKfbQ1kQGmNaEW0rS2uO-lTYv-iFatIrJAI3OPbV5vlWbLcy_lKSoijZ9Ajo-eHMeW1tGTpeHXuJLQtjQ8oXiUVkdykwHXoODgrXJzHMhjxVUP9b7v6kfT7uO_aIg/s1600/IMGP0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBoRAAG_dxR4wp9GKfbQ1kQGmNaEW0rS2uO-lTYv-iFatIrJAI3OPbV5vlWbLcy_lKSoijZ9Ajo-eHMeW1tGTpeHXuJLQtjQ8oXiUVkdykwHXoODgrXJzHMhjxVUP9b7v6kfT7uO_aIg/s200/IMGP0387.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black pines on Bel-Red Road...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4rTqXX2NHVqsSKIV98d0XBEO_xYD4k1iVqDSc3Z3oEGLyvEROovU_QA0QO6zRTFzSZqDZz8u4vxNj1cpMNyr7eczrDDC9YRhXUcaOzMtsMZsU8RJUNzMieSrrHyMPfSou9kQRRdt3A/s1600/IMGP0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4rTqXX2NHVqsSKIV98d0XBEO_xYD4k1iVqDSc3Z3oEGLyvEROovU_QA0QO6zRTFzSZqDZz8u4vxNj1cpMNyr7eczrDDC9YRhXUcaOzMtsMZsU8RJUNzMieSrrHyMPfSou9kQRRdt3A/s200/IMGP0388.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...had nice thick needle litter beneath.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was still hoping to take a sample in Bellevue proper, but had no time to scout out a good cone source. So I made do with sifting litter from beneath yet another row of black pine trees with closed fallen cones, this time along Bel-Red Road. My luck wasn't as good at this site, as I found only one juvenile <i>O. praticola</i> and had no time to sift a second batch.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUd7Q4epOG2yqQDeArg2X4GBVtYc9zXESntFk7kKrTLqrQhkd3sYGJRdx9P639kOtRt56ZjLcA06ydt3NGxVtXDj8K_lUDJgMIoXFPPtXgYS9VNwJw9xX_D2dpUjeTyiE44XdpYmGljw/s1600/IMGP0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUd7Q4epOG2yqQDeArg2X4GBVtYc9zXESntFk7kKrTLqrQhkd3sYGJRdx9P639kOtRt56ZjLcA06ydt3NGxVtXDj8K_lUDJgMIoXFPPtXgYS9VNwJw9xX_D2dpUjeTyiE44XdpYmGljw/s400/IMGP0386.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pine peeks over the town hall of Hunts Point, where <i>O. praticola</i><br />
undoubtedly outnumbers the human inhabitants.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-49617135074277280702017-12-12T18:07:00.002-08:002017-12-12T19:13:09.731-08:0012-Dec-2017 West Seattle, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg-Nx7LmAfUAWilmNccAuAP_01o7x_-b9HKkL7iTxcCSjJEZ3F2QyaVA7nV4a4y9G2bdPuh1_OmvH_QPKDx6C1X8EHShtc-ePAuer5BV2b9cBKpm05EqJ6Jj-MYNxxjAHVVR9V8BH_Q/s1600/IMGP0360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg-Nx7LmAfUAWilmNccAuAP_01o7x_-b9HKkL7iTxcCSjJEZ3F2QyaVA7nV4a4y9G2bdPuh1_OmvH_QPKDx6C1X8EHShtc-ePAuer5BV2b9cBKpm05EqJ6Jj-MYNxxjAHVVR9V8BH_Q/s200/IMGP0360.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tapped cones dropped by both pines</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ttaZY9K-8ocmX3hox1vKuCd1qSqQnrVWDVvBLhpjCJ7e1bTyyH_BdWmIbGJvf-AlZ0b9UYfmMSFt5P6wPy6zpN6zLpjApRwD1XWARGe24gXRrY0B7ILtR6SBD0czuauQhnVLiWkLyg/s1600/IMGP0346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ttaZY9K-8ocmX3hox1vKuCd1qSqQnrVWDVvBLhpjCJ7e1bTyyH_BdWmIbGJvf-AlZ0b9UYfmMSFt5P6wPy6zpN6zLpjApRwD1XWARGe24gXRrY0B7ILtR6SBD0czuauQhnVLiWkLyg/s200/IMGP0346.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fallen cone microhabitat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An appointment today in Seattle's industrial district put me so close to West Seattle that I couldn't resist buzzing over there to take a sample. Driving south on 35th Ave., I very quickly spotted two western white pines (<i>Pinus monticola</i>) that had dropped open, accessible cones in front of neighboring houses. If only every sampling site were so easy to find!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQ51l3WNRrxJ0Jglw3BRRnifSPWz-QCkovKmq4JDg7Wfq98nvNsi1G_rZ0r9z9t77mMV6d2l1KVAIIBkaiFUXRLrGV8vqonXqc-oWHHd5gnKz2i7Z89WNtzirxOJCtpwK4WRViWlluw/s1600/IMGP0364-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="1524" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQ51l3WNRrxJ0Jglw3BRRnifSPWz-QCkovKmq4JDg7Wfq98nvNsi1G_rZ0r9z9t77mMV6d2l1KVAIIBkaiFUXRLrGV8vqonXqc-oWHHd5gnKz2i7Z89WNtzirxOJCtpwK4WRViWlluw/s200/IMGP0364-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female <i>O. praticola</i> tapped from cones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOcUSTWdKOt9Sqvi17S2TCptCcqbX1B-zt76GKdc5GzqVYq5rCJR_3NryaExlXWC67KNx0Ko-4C3C5wpOJMRpXJymVIk-59swgVteKr0j4cI0lo8DAIuVbkJQlq_sAeKuLkoiPW1P7Q/s1600/IMGP0353-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1223" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOcUSTWdKOt9Sqvi17S2TCptCcqbX1B-zt76GKdc5GzqVYq5rCJR_3NryaExlXWC67KNx0Ko-4C3C5wpOJMRpXJymVIk-59swgVteKr0j4cI0lo8DAIuVbkJQlq_sAeKuLkoiPW1P7Q/s200/IMGP0353-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penultimate male <i>Xysticus ?cristatus</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I tapped 50 cones and collected 8 spiders and 3 identifiable species: An erigonine to be identified later, <i>Tachygyna vancouverana</i> (Linyphiidae), and <i>Ozyptila praticola </i>(Thomisidae). I'm not at all surprised to find <i>O. praticola</i> in West Seattle, but I'm quite happy to have found a specimen to verify its presence in that quadrant of the city. Also present in this sample was a penultimate male <i>Xysticus </i>probably-<i>cristatus </i>(Thomisidae),<i> </i>another introduced crab spider that's become established in western Washington.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzM3O4zFWlYhU-yb2nw4VoCmjK2Vf7NQgdU-k6j8dppoh5hAlkmai3ZNCjB1IGsrVB87apml7jlGb1Pg-mk53PeG0_URdxMZ0w672JPb_P7C-ky1ZDU-rcYYUnOf57-n5WJZMRwHS1w/s1600/2012-12-12+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1280" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzM3O4zFWlYhU-yb2nw4VoCmjK2Vf7NQgdU-k6j8dppoh5hAlkmai3ZNCjB1IGsrVB87apml7jlGb1Pg-mk53PeG0_URdxMZ0w672JPb_P7C-ky1ZDU-rcYYUnOf57-n5WJZMRwHS1w/s400/2012-12-12+site+location+map.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge. West Seattle site is circled.<br />
Blue: <i>O. praticola</i> confirmed via adult specimen.<br />
Yellow: Juvenile <i>O. ?praticola</i> found.<br />
Red: No <i>O. praticola</i> adults or <i>?praticola </i>juveniles found.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-58695067992079721422017-12-12T16:47:00.000-08:002017-12-12T16:47:11.056-08:0011-Dec-2017 Kent Redux & Covington, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6LlYfrFf6MYPlUZxik5p-XVsLQ42Jp8ONjLWhgcUTDGNL0JljMNRY5VrwRglzZ2pPQHCXswsTwGkDTC7YmGIbSjOH77PUDFu9XRRdnjvYXwmvFArGsmReJUdkJK9a-WF8Sgpn_PMqw/s1600/2017-12-11+SITE+LOCATION+MAP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1280" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6LlYfrFf6MYPlUZxik5p-XVsLQ42Jp8ONjLWhgcUTDGNL0JljMNRY5VrwRglzZ2pPQHCXswsTwGkDTC7YmGIbSjOH77PUDFu9XRRdnjvYXwmvFArGsmReJUdkJK9a-WF8Sgpn_PMqw/s200/2017-12-11+SITE+LOCATION+MAP.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last week, when I <a href="https://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/4-dec-2017-kent-washington.html">found</a> all those juvenile <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) in fallen pine cones in Kent, I knew that I should continue the search for a mature specimen by sifting the pine needle litter near the cones. Wet litter and waning daylight eroded my immediate interest in doing so, however. Today, after a week of rain-free, litter-drying weather, and with the sun high in the sky, I returned to complete the task. And to great success!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsyHxiHmQUpHHRhGX-rPsk6d2sS5twCk9XzIS0CgDXppWZq0AK7u4e_Oe49CMh5XXOjllHHDOZ5QKYT14kPSIomprEgkq5T11MV__mKbfQ22KysiJ3rYAMkMqOCmUWeDN8dTb5zR-XA/s1600/IMGP0311-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="813" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbsyHxiHmQUpHHRhGX-rPsk6d2sS5twCk9XzIS0CgDXppWZq0AK7u4e_Oe49CMh5XXOjllHHDOZ5QKYT14kPSIomprEgkq5T11MV__mKbfQ22KysiJ3rYAMkMqOCmUWeDN8dTb5zR-XA/s200/IMGP0311-crop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of three female <i>O. praticola</i> sifted<br />from pine needle litter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_8VciHqXDBs3jpnyF1EBJVH9v0r_CzbMaTGgH_QLo1vG_96aARsZMH5GeBv8L7jYVEpdtFzTwREGJrpvCdGhy70RQ61yALY6cTstp4Ya-u9VEfSgeZrdaSJWqDQSEAyPfgspappW_Q/s1600/IMGP0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_8VciHqXDBs3jpnyF1EBJVH9v0r_CzbMaTGgH_QLo1vG_96aARsZMH5GeBv8L7jYVEpdtFzTwREGJrpvCdGhy70RQ61yALY6cTstp4Ya-u9VEfSgeZrdaSJWqDQSEAyPfgspappW_Q/s200/IMGP0312.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An electrical box made a<br />convenient sifting table.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I sifted one sweep net full of black pine (<i>Pinus nigra</i>) litter and collected 18 spiders and 3 identifiable species: the linyphiids <i>Tachygyna vancouverana</i> and <i>Tenuiphantes tenuis</i>, and my quarry, <i>Ozyptila praticola</i>. This time, there were three females among the <i>O. praticola</i> in addition to several juveniles<i>. </i>Finally, I can verify the presence of the species in Kent!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mquMOTpYyQqyv4wDZsJZFSDraoJBnFfd7YBRPpfgbYsSmhMN5E24lvMhwDKbixglsTxygONwiku2zqNshaBbvIjfiPZzyAixrGCWTDQx-vzzqe6yMN8LdfzV7xX_WeUiR7i03jjXJg/s1600/IMGP0322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mquMOTpYyQqyv4wDZsJZFSDraoJBnFfd7YBRPpfgbYsSmhMN5E24lvMhwDKbixglsTxygONwiku2zqNshaBbvIjfiPZzyAixrGCWTDQx-vzzqe6yMN8LdfzV7xX_WeUiR7i03jjXJg/s200/IMGP0322.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Covington sampling site</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIAE7UWZ3ivPA3ojmY3bs8RemLUoJ5_BYjOxTO0HaeAMaHgX-vvjG8rlsGMNvBCmDPNyO7EA-6prTtkNFWO3BZiZIUtsHsq8CWSMHvDHLERRROXkoLuspqKjtASIgA-fjqozvEhSfjw/s1600/IMGP0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIAE7UWZ3ivPA3ojmY3bs8RemLUoJ5_BYjOxTO0HaeAMaHgX-vvjG8rlsGMNvBCmDPNyO7EA-6prTtkNFWO3BZiZIUtsHsq8CWSMHvDHLERRROXkoLuspqKjtASIgA-fjqozvEhSfjw/s200/IMGP0316.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kent sampling site</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had time for one more sample before sunset (sunset at 4:30 pm really limits field work!), so proceeded east into Covington. Another row of black pines separating two parking lots was my cone source. Some cones had fully opened scales, others only partially, and they were lying on bare soil or a very thin layer of pine needles and maple leaves. I tapped 72 cones and collected only 5 spiders and 2 species: <i>T. vancouverana</i> and an <i>Erigone</i> to be identified to species later.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2794490151773612188.post-69802769074490340852017-12-05T22:02:00.002-08:002017-12-05T23:10:24.777-08:004-Dec-2017 Kent, Washington<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0eIZy5E6ptZ8CfxqGqCFQ3YccTVtY_r1yphmgT6FKPLC9gx-yRxeiopJjXFJir_k3b2kNWTOdDilEbPL-CASOl-1o_hY0ompEHKVSbcRyvqBuLMyxJcTX4qsT0uT1M3ITh-nJIm6Og/s1600/2017-12-4+site+location+map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1280" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0eIZy5E6ptZ8CfxqGqCFQ3YccTVtY_r1yphmgT6FKPLC9gx-yRxeiopJjXFJir_k3b2kNWTOdDilEbPL-CASOl-1o_hY0ompEHKVSbcRyvqBuLMyxJcTX4qsT0uT1M3ITh-nJIm6Og/s320/2017-12-4+site+location+map.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site location map. Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Spider collectors in Europe <a href="https://araneae.unibe.ch/data/1088">report</a> that male and female <i>Ozyptila praticola</i> (Thomisidae) can be found there every month of the year. It wouldn't surprise me if that were true here in Washington state was well, since I've collected adult <i>O. praticola</i> every month March through November. However, I have almost no <i>O. praticola</i> data for the months of December through February. A break in the wet winter weather this week gave me the opportunity to start remedying that.<br />
<br />
My destination was the Kent - Covington - Maple Valley area in the southwestern corner of King County. I had collected <a href="http://pineconespiders.blogspot.com/2015/11/16-nov-2015-yangzhou-park-kent.html">juvenile <i>O. praticola</i> in Kent</a> back in 2015, so I knew the species was in the area. On my way to my old collecting spot, I checked for fallen cones in the expansive business and industry parks on the north end of town. I found plenty of black pine (<i>Pinus nigra</i>) cones along the way, but none of them with open scales. As for my old collecting spot from 2015, groundskeepers had removed the cones.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFstcXQnWDLFJpOIQqfxczJZWptTSd758pzTt6Vz6KybXJz_6ZTJZS5A6qfP09VZN7TwvL5c5fQBNOzl-_AtOmSGzcSDPx8AmW3stIcEYVtZ6re0nw40rBl-_41Cy9H270dvpCbHNOCg/s1600/IMGP0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1197" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFstcXQnWDLFJpOIQqfxczJZWptTSd758pzTt6Vz6KybXJz_6ZTJZS5A6qfP09VZN7TwvL5c5fQBNOzl-_AtOmSGzcSDPx8AmW3stIcEYVtZ6re0nw40rBl-_41Cy9H270dvpCbHNOCg/s200/IMGP0007.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First cone source: white pine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWHeldLG2sgfbHHRNeQchuEn0dW2YanvJhJcfC6A-wooAnXAq-0aQIsyQUNsBt_R_7KlPvzQcdvxoy_0nMgar0_ais6R1Z_yid46olo0ZOWp1DgSCvtc95x5cFPo__C0prv2OwrIWEw/s1600/IMGP0013-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="1114" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWHeldLG2sgfbHHRNeQchuEn0dW2YanvJhJcfC6A-wooAnXAq-0aQIsyQUNsBt_R_7KlPvzQcdvxoy_0nMgar0_ais6R1Z_yid46olo0ZOWp1DgSCvtc95x5cFPo__C0prv2OwrIWEw/s200/IMGP0013-crop.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Erigone dentosa</i> (bottom)<br />
& <i>Erigone</i> TBD (top)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The same pattern continued until I got to the eastern edge of town, where I found a mature western white pine (<i>P. monticola</i>) growing next to a convenience store (the red pin on the map above). Many of its fallen cones had been run over by cars, but I was still able to find 20 intact ones to tap. They were wet and their scales were poorly opened, but they contained 7 spiders and 3 identifiable species of linyphiids: <i>Tachygyna vancouverana</i>, <i>Erigone dentosa</i>, and another <i>Erigone</i> species that I haven't identified yet. The sample was refreshingly free of introduced species. That doesn't happen often in the Seattle-Tacoma conurbation.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43aOBhkN29mkFPzw7FWVkxKs0l4bgd0XyCCr_NWsaLLoCuoUuybZFiQD15XEV_0LGwDXwTkL_ia7KlZ2kFhsZ8VrNAeFPd-KpuW8K67xqpltD1ktWans6wi8eFoJFiXjkhjTDxApzJg/s1600/PC040081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43aOBhkN29mkFPzw7FWVkxKs0l4bgd0XyCCr_NWsaLLoCuoUuybZFiQD15XEV_0LGwDXwTkL_ia7KlZ2kFhsZ8VrNAeFPd-KpuW8K67xqpltD1ktWans6wi8eFoJFiXjkhjTDxApzJg/s200/PC040081.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second cone source: black pines</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfARH5IEyTtqpGAcF-_tR-gTicSac4YmLW0tRv9LvSFB9zlix4pMcvtxEkqooizrSEZoVqxSBJbGCr9Kv_VZe8kEz7KmCi25uhBxb3es9Mhcui4DRzK4mhZp4IRdDawmrppEPB-6hVg/s1600/IMGP0021-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1189" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfARH5IEyTtqpGAcF-_tR-gTicSac4YmLW0tRv9LvSFB9zlix4pMcvtxEkqooizrSEZoVqxSBJbGCr9Kv_VZe8kEz7KmCi25uhBxb3es9Mhcui4DRzK4mhZp4IRdDawmrppEPB-6hVg/s200/IMGP0021-crop.jpg" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ozyptila praticola</i> juveniles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My next site was only about a mile further down the pike (the yellow pin on the map above) and consisted of a line of black pine trees growing behind a grocery store. The scales on these cones were also poorly opened, but that was no barrier to the spiders. I tapped 24 cones and collected 12 spiders and 2 identifiable species: <i>T. vancouverana</i> and <i>O. praticola</i>. At 10 spiders, <i>O. praticola</i> dominated the sample. However, they were, once again, all juveniles. Kent does not give up its mature <i>O. praticola</i> gladly!<br />
<br />
With the sun setting, it was time to return home. Covington and Maple Valley will have to wait for another day.Laurelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01998982807586068330noreply@blogger.com0