#eastern fence lizard

[great-and-small]

I was hoping this eastern fence lizard might sit up a bit so you could better visualize his spectacular cobalt throat scales. Alas he was too comfy in his basking spot (fittingly he was on a fence post!)

[randomanimaloftheday]

Day 115#: Eastern Fence Lizard

Today's animal of the day is the Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)!

Photo credit: Judy Gallagher

Also known as the northern fence, gravid, or pine lizard, this species of lizard can be found around the forest edges throughout much of the eastern region of the United States. They grow to around 4 to 7.5 inches long, and get their name because they are commonly seen basking on fence posts to warm up, as well as old tree stumps and fallen logs. Their grayish-brown coloration helps them to better camouflage with their wooden perches; however, males will turn green during the summer and possess blue and black markings on their underbellies to help attract mates.

Photo credit: Cathy Bester

These lizards prefer to live in open woodland environments or along the outskirts of larger forests, and can be quite territorial. Males will set up a territorial range during the early spring to prepare for their summer breeding season, and will scare off rival males by head bobbing and doing push-ups to show off their brightly colored undersides. The size of a male's territory directly corresponds with how big the individual lizard is, with larger males having larger territories and thus a more likely chance of encountering and mating with a female. Oftentimes, these territories will overlap slightly with those of other males, as well as those of at least a few females, since males usually cluster around the territories of females, so it's easier to find them during the mating season.

Photo credit: Judy Gallagher

The eastern fence lizard is an ambush predator that will sit and wait for an insect or other type of arthropod to get close enough for them to pounce on. Adults will often take on large insects, such as grasshoppers, but the smaller juveniles mostly eat ants, with them making up around 80% of their diet. While they usually feed on the various ant species native to North America, invasive fire ants have begun outcompeting their normal prey species, and since the fence lizards aren't adapted to deal with the fire ants' venomous bites, young lizards often end up being swarmed and eaten by these invading ants. Luckily, the species has developed a unique method of escaping fire ants, which involves twitching their bodies to buck off the swarming ants so they can escape. This appears to be instinctual rather than a learned behavior, with some fence lizards having this instinctual reaction while others lack it.

Photo credit: Tracy Langkilde and Travis Robbins

However, for those who do have it, the more times they have experienced being attacked by fire ants, the sooner they begin twitching and the quicker they are to escape. Sadly, while this tactic is very effective for older lizards, many juvenile eastern fence lizards, as well as their eggs, fall victim to fire ant raids. It is estimated that around 61% of all eastern fence lizard nests are at risk of being predated on by fire ants, and conservationists are working on finding a solution to stop fire ants from harming the population of these lizards, as well as countless other native animals and plants that are threatened by these invaders. Thankfully, despite this, the species is currently listed as of least concern.

[northerlyy]

Eastern Fence Lizards (Sceloporus undulatus), taken May 19, 2026, in Georgia, US

Another handful of fence lizards living the reptilian dream on the warm rock (and wood) outcroppings of a mountaintop! Many of these guys were mid-bask, laid out with their eyes closed and relaxing, so they were far more amicable to getting their picture taken than ones I stumbled upon skittering in the grass. The latter were already energized by the sun and ready to disappear into the nearest small gap. I like how alert lizards look in photos, but, for more pictures of lizards total, I prefer the sleepy ones!

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Treat or trick!!

Here's an eastern fence lizard for you!

[wigmund]

Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) at Monte Ne on March 22, 2026

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Eastern Fence Lizard

Center for Biological Diversity

[oakenroots]

You know, I went outside earlier and poked around in my garden a bit and got 11 bug bites but most importantly, I photographed this butterfly and when I flipped back a bit of desd stems I saw the most perfect baby fence lizard whose whole body was the length of my thumb. I wish my phone had been out but my hands were full and so i just covered the baby back up with the stem litter and left it to be baby.

Its a shame mosquitoes feast upon me because I like bugs so much and I would love the mosquitoes too if they just. stopped. biting me.

[duckouied]

I am letting him believe that I will help him catch this fence lizard (I am lying and saying I don’t know where it went)