FIVE-LINED SKINK
Eumeces fasciatus
Skinks are among the fastest reptiles in the world, and when encountered they dart quickly for cover. Individuals almost always bite when first captured, but their extremely small teeth cannot penetrate the skin. The tail, which is blue in young specimens, serves as a most unusual defense mechanism. If a skink is grabbed by the tail, the tail breaks off. While the would-be capturer attention is held momentarily by the vigorously wiggling tail, the skink makes a speedy getaway. In time, the skink will grow a new tail, although it will not be as long or as brightly colored as the original one.
They can often be located under the hark of decaying logs, or in stumps, rock piles, or decaying plant material. They are also found along moist locations.
Richard and I tried to capture this animal many times when we were children, of course we always grabbed the tail and it would come off and the little fellow always made his escape leaving us holding the wiggling blue tail.
2 comments:
We have a lot of these in our back yard....Mike used to help the kids catch them when we went camping years ago. Recently Austin wanted to catch one but couldn't. I told him to ask Grandpa . Grandpa now is 58 years old and not as fast as he was 25 years ago when he used to catch them for the kids. It did take him a day to get one but he caught one and put it in a plastic jug for Austin. All of the Grandkids enjoyed it for a few days then Austin got to let it go back into the back yard. I am not sure any of the Grandkids Daddy's could catch a lizzard now. See how much I have helped Mike making him work so hard for us all of these years! It has kept him in shape.
I dont know why but these blue ones always creep me out! I love the green ones!
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