A plebeian lounge lizard found in almost every region of the continental United States is the scincid . keen lizards to have in the garden , skinks are hungry predators who bed to munch on vulgar grounds and household pest , including grasshoppers , caterpillars , crickets , spiders , snails , cockroaches , beetles and even diminished mice .
Spot The Skink
While most skink species are describe by their distinct colors and markings , certain physical characteristic go for to most of the ace chance in the United States . They ’re medium - sized lizards that reach between 4 and 7 inches long as adults . full-grown males of some mintage , like the Five Lined skink , can reach 8½ inch ( including their long tail ) .
scincid lizard have long slim bodies with short limbs and are protected by a smooth - scaled tegument that ’s similar to the peel of a snake in the grass . Their coloring can be extremely flamboyant , with many specie demo bare patterns with bright metallic chromaticity . Because they ’re diurnal animals — meaning they can be dynamic both Clarence Shepard Day Jr. and night — you might find them solarize along the edges of building or on give away tree diagram roots . Most skink species are also ground dwellers that move around through dense vegetation and leaf litter to hound their prey .
There are at least 15 skink coinage in North America . Where I live in South Carolina , I be given to see mostly Five Lined skinks , Southeastern Five Lined scincid and an casual Broad - Headed skink , though there are a few other less common skink mintage that can also be found within my region .
Skink Lore
In the South , juvenile skinks or skinks with blue colouration are sometimes colloquially referred to as scorpions and are think to have a sting or bite that is toxic to humans . This is a uncouth misconception that has no basis in fact , as no known species of juvenile or adult scincid lizard have any stinging gimmick or have a vicious bite . A skink ’s chomp is potent , but they are not aggressive and will only seize with teeth if you set about to clean them up or otherwise stimulate them . lamentably , many skinks are killed because folks think they are vicious or are sometimes mistaken for snakes .
Garden Helpers
Skinks play an significant role in your local environment , helping to keep insect populations in tab and can even be encouraged to visit or take up residence in your garden with a petty employment . Providing attractive tax shelter is as simple as leaving leaf litter on the ground and work up a few small-scale piles of logs or rocks around the margin of your garden .
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