The Herpetarium 
 The Herps of Blue Haven 
 Field Guide 
 History 
 Photos 

• Habitat: Rocks and fences
• Food: Insects, spiders, centipedes, and snails. Favorite food: beetles
• Life cycle: They mate from April to August. Yearlings lay one clutch of 3 to 13 eggs, and older females lay 2 to 4 clutches June through September. Eggs hatch June through September.

Plateau lizards (commonly called fence lizards) are quick little lizards that are usually found sunning themselves on logs or rocks. They will run up a tree to escape predators, and the color of their scales helps camouflage them.

Fence lizards, as all reptiles, are cold-blooded, which means that they have no internal heat regulator as mammals do. Therefore, they will find warm places to sit in the sun, such as fence posts, trees, logs, and rocks. This helps keep their body temperature warm. You will often see fence lizards in these places.

When you catch a fence lizard, turn it over and look at its belly. If it has two metallic blue stripes, it is probably a male. If it has blue spots, it may be a female.

Fence lizards do bite if they feel irritated. However, their bite is usually no more than a pinch. If you do catch a fence lizard, be nice to it. Do not make it bite your ear or do other stupid things with it. It is always a good idea to let it go where you found it when you’re done holding it.