Species guide
Five-lined skink
HarmlessPlestiodon fasciatus
How to recognise it
A smooth, glossy lizard with five cream stripes running along a dark body. Juveniles have a vivid electric-blue tail that fades with age.
Is it dangerous?
Harmless. It may shed its tail to escape (it regrows) and can give a tiny, harmless nip if grabbed.
What to do
Leave it alone — it's a useful insect-eater.
Recorded 37,815 times in the wild worldwide.
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