Lizards

Lizards

Links to related articles: Frogs, Cuckoos, Wrens Garden Plants I and Water

Our gardens and parks can become home to many creatures. In addition to birds, you may encounter bees, wasps, ants, frogs, lizards, and even box turtles. These animals play an important role in the ecosystem and the more species that live in a given area, the healthier the ecosystem is. In an earlier article, I went over the major frog and toad species in the Cape Fear Region and how to provide habitat for them. Lizards are another group of cold-blooded animals that reside our gardens and woodlands and  serve a similar role to frogs. Of the reptile species, lizards are the most adaptable and most people tolerate or even enjoy them in their yards. In contrast, snakes are equally or in some cases more important for the ecosystem but are generally not as desirable and a few snakes can inflict a venomous bite. All lizard species are harmless to humans, and are good allies in combatting garden and household pests. There are 14 species of lizards in the Carolinas including two introduced species, with 3-5 species commonly occurring in garden.

   Green Anole

Anolis carolinensis 

Green Anole in our garden 

The Green Anole is one of the most commonly encountered lizards in the Cape Fear Region and is often erroneously called a gecko or chameleon. These mid-sized lizards are the only representative of this mostly tropical genus although there are some reports of Brown Anoles Anolis sagrei near Wilmington that were introduced accidentally in palmettos and other plants from Florida. Anoles can  change colors based on the environment with the lizards being lime green in warm and sunny locations and grey-brown to reddish during damp, cool, or dark conditions. Anoles range from 13 to 20cm long (5-8") and are mostly found in meadows, woodland edges, pinelands, or parklands where with ample sunlight. They are also common in gardens, urban dooryards, and landscaped areas and may be seen on stonewalls, the doorsteps, or amongst hanging planters. They may even enter houses during the winter or if it is stormy. Green Anoles are active year-round and can be seen on any warm, sunny day (esp when air temperatures are above 15C or 59F), although they are certainly more active during the summer and autumn. Male anoles maintain small territories and display to potential mates or rivals by flashing their red throats. Females lay eggs in loose soil, decayed wood,  or in leaf litter and nests may be found in planters, or in open bags of garden soil. Anoles live in colonies where multiple females occupy a small area, while multiple males may claim a small area with one or more females. In the winter, the lizards congregate in warm spots such as electrical boxes, the southern sides of  buildings, stonewalls, tree holes, or inside outbuildings. Anoles eat insects and arthropods including prey as large as dragonflies and wasps, but also consume nectar, fruits, and sweets. 

Eastern Fence Lizard 

Sceloporus undulatus

Eastern Fence Lizard, Wikimedia Commons file

The Fence Lizard is a common but often overlooked lizard in our area that is also at home in our gardens and parks. While the Anole is brightly colored, conspicuous, and very gregarious, the Fence Lizard is more suited for camouflage and is solitary. This lizard is similar in size to the Anole but is  thicker, and is brown or grey with bands on it (more like a generic lizard). These reptiles are found both on the ground and in trees and prefer sunny habitats like meadows, open woodlands, pinelands, gardens, and homesites. Look for adults sunning on fences, rocks, stonewalls, or logs, or climbing up trees, although they are much more skittish than Anoles. Males display by bobbing their heads and standing up to show their bellies. After mating, females lay a clutch of eggs in a burrow or  amongst leaves, mulch or decaying wood, just like the anole. Fence Lizards eat primarily insects and other arthropods. They are active from late winter to autumn and hibernate during the winter.  

Six-Lined Racerunner 

Cnemidophorus sexlineatus

Six-Lined Racerunner Wikimedia Commons file

The Racerunner is a fairly large lizard that is considered one of the fastest reptiles on land. This lizard is common in dry habitats such as pine barrens, coastal dunes, dry woodlands, and grasslands and is mostly seen during the summer. They may occur in gardens but are generally overlooked as they remain well camouflaged and will run away if approached. Females lay eggs in sandy soil or in burrows during the summer months. Racerunners catch insects and similar prey on open ground and rarely climb into trees.

Skinks 

Eumeces species 

Broad Headed Skink Wikimedia Commons file

Five-Lined Skink in our garden

There are four species of Skinks in the Cape Fear Region with three of them likely to occur in gardens with the appropriate habitats. Skinks are mostly terrestrial lizards that remain under vegetation or debris but will venture out into the open to hunt or sun. The Broad Headed Skink is our largest typical lizard with the largest examples exceeding 33cm or 13" in length including its long tail. The Ground Skink is actually our smallest native lizard and is less than 8cm (3") long on average. Skinks can be somewhat difficult to identify as juveniles and adults look similar and the color patterns do vary. Five-Lined, Southeastern Five-Lined, and Broad Headed Skinks commonly inhabit gardens and parks and can co-occur. As far as natural habitat, Five-Lined Skinks prefer damp woodlands, swamps, and wet meadow habitats, while the Broad Headed Skink is more at home in drier settings like pine barrens, maritime forest, and disturbed habitats such as vacant lots. Broad Headed Skinks can also be distinguished by the tendency to climb trees, walls, and shrubs while the other skinks mostly stay on the ground. Skinks are mostly active during the warmer months but do come out on warm winter days. Adult skinks are often found individually or in small groups and do  not defend territories. Males are known to fight over partners and may lose their tails or suffer injuries during battles. Unlike snakes, lizard tails will regenerate. Females lay eggs in soft soil or  detritus including in rotting logs, flowerpots, mulch, and unused garden soil. These lizards will stay with nest eggs and protect it from snakes, birds, or other skinks. Adult skinks will eat almost thing they can swallow including small or large arthropods, snails, smaller reptiles, salamanders, and even bird eggs. They also take fruit, human food scraps, and other food types. 

Eastern Glass Lizard 

Ophisaurus ventralis

Eastern Glass Lizard in our garden

The Glass Lizard is a leg-less lizard that closely resembles a snake but is told by its moving eyelids, and ear canals. These lizards occur throughout the Carolinas but are fairly uncommon and rarely seen in the open unless they are sunning. There are three species of Glass Lizards in the Cape Fear Region although the Eastern Glass Lizard is the most likely to visit or live in our gardens. They occupy various forest and woodland types, meadows, shrublands, and pinelands in dry and moist settings. They are most likely to be found under stones, logs, junk, in stumps, or sometimes along home foundations. Adults can be as long as 110cm or 43" long (larger than most of our snakes) although most examples are around 30-50cm (12-20") long. Glass Lizards are completely harmless and should not be harmed in any way. Like skinks these lizards will at almost anything they can swallow and take  large arthropods, other reptiles, amphibians, voles, as well as fruits and detritus. Females lay eggs in soft soil or under debris or logs during the spring and summer and will remain with the nest. Glass Lizards are in decline due to habitat loss, pesticides, persecution by humans, and losses to automobiles, lawnmowers, feral cats, dogs, or becoming trapped.  

House Gecko 

Hemidactylus turcicus

House Gecko Wikimedia Commons file

The House Gecko or Mediterranean Gecko is an nocturnal lizard that was introduced into our region by accident. Like the Brown Anole, this small lizard likely got into our area through international shipping at seaports and major airports and has been reported in Wilmington NC, and Charleston SC. This lizard  is tiny at 8-13cm (3-5")  long and is often overlooked as it is nocturnal. These  lizards are most likely to be found around human habitation and may be seen on walls, windows, porches, and and shrubbery or around outdoor lights. They eat small insects and arthropods at night and shelter in crevices, plants, or objects at night as well as going into our homes. This is the only lizard that makes a sound and often makes a high pitched chirp call, or various clicks when displaying. They nest communally in moist soil or in crevices and eggs may be found in flowerpots or garden soil. While Geckos are not common yet in our area (I have yet to see one in our garden), they will likely be coming to a porch light near you. There appears to be no evidence of Geckos competing with Anoles as they are nocturnal and hunt smaller prey items. It seems that House Geckos might by another rare example of an exotic inhabitant will mostly be remain curiosity and possibly benefit ecology in urbanized landscapes, but it is too early to tell. 

Attracting Lizards

Lizards are very easy to attract to your garden and it is almost certain that at least one of these species already thrive in your area. As with all wildlife, improving the natural habitat can go a long way at supporting lizards in urban or suburban settings as well as balancing the ecosystem. Anoles, skinks, and geckos need only a reliable source of food, some water, and protective cover to thrive, while Racerunners and Glass Lizards might visit a garden if there is prey is abundant. All lizards are efficient predators and will consume native and nonnative insects that could be pests in the landscape or our homes. Examples of pests that anoles, geckos and skinks eat include cockroaches, flies, moth caterpillars, mosquitoes, and slugs, while a Glass Lizard might take on a small mouse at times. Lizards are in turn food for snakes, weasels, hawks, owls, herons, and crows. 

• Reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides as these chemicals kill off prey for lizards and can directly harm reptiles that come in contact with treated areas 

• Avoid killing lizards or snakes in your garden, instead, take the time to appreciate the role they serve in the ecosystem.

• Improve food and cover by planting native or cultivated flowers and plants that attract insects, retaining leaf litter under shrubs, and including logs, stones, or objects for sunning 

• Anoles, fence lizards, and skinks may drink from birdbaths 

• Provide places for egg laying such as meadow or perennial plantings, brushpiles, or by including flowerpots, planters, or deadwood in landscapes 

• Anoles and geckos may use birdhouses, butterfly houses, or repurposed containers for shelter during the winter. Place such habitats on or near heated buildings, or south-facing walls 

• Green Anoles occasionally visit hummingbird or oriole feeders, while skinks and glass lizards often come to compost pits for prey and organic scraps.  

Sources 

• All information included in this article was sourced from the book Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia (Second Edition) by Jeffrey C. Beane, Alvin L. Braswell, Joseph C. Mitchell, and Julian R. Harrison II. Published in 2010

• Additional photos for species that I do not have photos of are sourced from Wikimedia Commons (via the Wikipedia Pages)