Lizard on the patio

Hanging out on top of the waterfall.



Trying to atract the Ladies!

Basking in the sun!

 For all of you nature lovers, it was another beautiful weekend and the critters were out and about on our patio. It’s spring and that means courting season, one particular bright green lizard, (sometimes referred to as a chameleon but not in the chameleon family, go figure) has staked his claim and decided that our back yard is a perfect place to call home. He is very fond of the waterfall and favors hanging out around my herb and vegetable pots. We also have several female lizards that have not seemed too interested in Mr. lizard, I am sure he will win one of them over, eventually.

My hubby Doug and I, with the assistance of professional landscapers have created a small but peaceful habitat for ourselves and so many critters; bunny bunny (my niece Molly always wants to know what I have named wildlife, she loves the nicknames) has not been sighted this year but there were signs that something was snacking on several of our plants.

Here a bit of information on our family of lizards: www.herpssofnc.org:

Description: Adult green anoles reach 5-8 in. (12.5-20.3 cm). This diurnal lizard may appear completely green, green and brown, or completely brown. A pattern may also be present in the form of dark slate grey streaks or spots. When found with a brown coloration, many individuals may also have a lighter stripe down the back. The throat fan, or dewlap, of this species is bright pink.

Feeding/Diet: Anoles typically feed on small insects and other arthropods such as butterflies, flies, crickets, and small grasshoppers.

Habitat/Range: Anoles range throughout the coastal plain and southern Piedmont of North Carolina. They are commonly seen on fences, around old buildings, on shrubs or vines, on the ground, or in trees due to their adhesive toe pads.

Reproduction: Females lay one egg at a time throughout spring and summer. Usually they shallowly bury their eggs in soil, rotten wood, or similar material.

Miscellaneous: Adult males are very defensive of their territory against intruding males, and they use head bobbing both in defending their territory and courting females. The anole is sometimes called a "chameleon" because of its ability to change colors, but this color change is associated with temperature, stress, and various other environmental and behavioral factors

I found the following information on this website: www.Nationalzoo.si.edu

Green anoles have a stereotyped set of behaviors. Male anoles perform rituals of dominance and territoriality. They show their dominance by bobbing their heads, usually through pushup-like movements. They also flare their dewlap. When threatened by another male, the opponents begin with head bobbing and flaring. Then they extend their throat (different than dewlap) to enlarge their body profile, they turn lateral to their opponent, showing the side profile of their body. They also erect crests along the back, and form an eyespot. These performances are intended to intimidate the other anole. The loser of the confrontation performs submissive head bobbing and retreats to a different territory.

Cheers! Kary

     Source of Information for www.Nationalzoo.si.edu
All or part of this information was provided by the Animal Diversity Web and Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan.
The original author of this information was Robert Smith.

Cheers! Kary