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we live our lives with skinks
At Day 51, we are still practicing our social distancing skills, albeit a little more loosely. We have decided that if the coronavirus knocks on the door, we won't be inclined to answer it.
If you grew up in East Tennessee, you grew up with skinks. They seem to always be present, somewhere around our houses, walls, front porches, patios, fireplaces. They are there, count on it, eating our ants, beetles, roaches. That's a good thing.
We saw a young one, climbing the outside of our chimney today probably a five-lined skink the most common and most widespread lizard in the state.
Skinks live up to six years and as they age their colors change and they no longer have the bold markings and blue tails of youth. They settle into their reproductive years more camouflaged. Adult males, become orangey-brown with red throats like the photo at the top sent to us by Lynne Davis. The five lines are still there but less noticeable. Adult males are also highly territorial but accept females and juveniles in their claimed locations.
Adult females begin to lay clutches of eggs this time of the year and actually guard them somewhat bird like. Most likely, somewhere around your home you probably have a clutch of skink eggs with its protective mother.
And it's OK. Ob-la-de, ob-la-da.
And it's OK. Ob-la-de, ob-la-da.
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| Juvenile five-lined skink |
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