Critters of North Idaho: Western skink
Bears and groundhogs aren’t the only ones waking from hibernation as the weather warms. Lizards are what we call ectothermic (“cold-blooded”), meaning that their metabolism is reliant on energy given off by heat, usually from the sun.
Cold temperatures make ectothermic creatures sluggish, and rather than weather out North Idaho winters, lizards tend to spend this time in deep slumber in the depths of a crevice in a rock or rotting log, or perhaps a pile of vegetation or sawdust, or even the foundations of a building. With the arrival of spring, western skinks wriggle their bright blue tails and pop out into the sunshine, all the more ready to quench their hunger.
Little more than 4 to 8 inches long, the western skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus) are widely distributed across — you guessed it — western North America. More specifically, in the grasslands, dry open pine forests, or shrub-steppe of Idaho, parts of Washington, Montana, Utah, Arizona, and even southern British Columbia and Nevada at their northernmost and southernmost extent of their range.
They tend to steer clear of dense forests and places with heavy brush. As for appearance, their smooth, scaly skin is patterned by brown and white or beige stripes running down its back and sides.
Juveniles are more vividly-colored than their parents, and their tails are bright blue, dulling by the time they are grown up. They are related to the blue-tongued skink, a larger lizard that flashes its bright blue tongue to frighten its predators long enough to make an escape. I guess blue runs in the family.
Do you remember when I said that these lizards are hungry after slumbering all winter long? Well, the western skink is primarily an insect eater (something to keep in mind if you’ve got a pest problem!). They love a good grasshopper or cricket, beetles and their larvae, termites, or even a fat, juicy caterpillar. They’ll also gobble up spiders, earthworms, snails, small frogs, millipedes, and even baby mice. These lizards do have a dark side, though, as they sometimes exhibit cannibalistic tendencies toward younger individuals of their species.
Active during the day, western skinks are secretive critters. Even still, they are sometimes eyed by hungry predators like birds of prey, foxes, opossums, snakes, raccoons, skunks, and even crows. When spotted, these lizards are able to detach their tails from their bodies! The tail is genetically-programmed to wiggle around on its own, as if it were alive. This can distract the predator long enough for the lizard to make a getaway. If for one reason or another that doesn’t work, the lizards also have a nasty bite that should send predators (and pesky humans!) packing!
You might come across a western skink in the wild. Should this happen, try not to frighten it, as this may cause it to detach its tail. The tail will take months to grow back, making it vulnerable to real threats until then. Plus, the lizards store extra fat in their tails that they need to get them through winter.
If you’re still a little disturbed about the fact that western skinks occasionally snack on members of their own species, you might find comfort in the fact that they do have a softer side. These lizards are one of the few reptiles known to exhibit parental care! Most reptiles simply lay their eggs and leave them to fend for themselves on Day 1.
In the summer, mother western skinks congregate in rotten logs, rock crevices to dig little brooding chambers out of the damp, moist soil. There, they produce a clutch of between two and 10 eggs, which they fiercely guard against attack from predators. This is called communal nesting, something many birds are known to do.
Because there are always protective lizards around to keep an eye out for predators, the mothers are free to leave the nest when they need to in search for food. During the monthlong incubation period, western skink moms curl up around their eggs to keep them warm and from losing too much moisture. In order to keep the nest humid, the mother lizard will urinate on the nest and turn the eggs.
Once the eggs hatch, they are on their own and their mother provides them with no further assistance. Even still, tending and guarding her eggs until then has already greatly increased their chances of survival.
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