Most people picture deserts or tropical islands when they think about lizards, not the forests and backyards of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Yet the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reports that
Understanding the types of lizards in Maryland starts with a simple correction: this state has native reptile life well beyond snakes and turtles. Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources lists
Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources documents that there are seven species of lizards that have been reported to occur in the state, with four belonging to the skink family alone. This guide focuses on the four species most people actually encounter: the Five-lined Skink, Broad-headed Skink, Little Brown Skink, and Eastern Fence Lizard. Each one has carved out a distinct niche, from treetop hunting grounds to leaf-litter hideouts, and learning to tell them apart turns an ordinary hike into a small wildlife-spotting adventure.
1. Five-lined Skink
The five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) ranks as the most widely distributed lizard people encounter in Maryland. The Maryland Biodiversity Project has documented sightings from Frederick County to the Eastern Shore, reflecting just how adaptable this skink has become across the state’s varied landscapes…