Description

Juveniles have five longitudinal yellowish or white stripes against a black background color and a bright blue tail. As a female matures the stripes become lighter and the tail becomes gray. The adult male is plain tan to bronze, with very pale stripes. The male has an orangish-red head and jowls, which are especially bright in the spring breeding season.

Habitat

This lizard is active during the day and prefers open hardwood forests, forest edges, and cut-over woodlands. It especially likes areas with abundant rocks, fallen logs, or dead tree snags which provide excellent places for this lizard to bask and forage

Range

The Five-lined Skink occurs over the eastern forested part of the United States as far northwest as Minnesota and northeast to New York, west to eastern Kansas and Texas. It can be found in suitable habitat throughout Georgia.