native anole lizard

13 years ago

On sunday I was spraying my staghorn fern with the hose when I spotted movement on the plant. It was a large green anole lizard! I don't think he was too happy about being sprayed since he quickly climbed further into the plant after I took a picture and started watering the plant again. I've been seeing quite a few of the native lizard species so far this year and far fewer of the cuban anoles.

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Comments (20)

amberroses
13 years ago
I've never seen one in my yard :( Maybe the natives are better able to handle the recent cold winters?
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
13 years ago
Oh lucky you! We had those everywhere around here when I was a kid, but I haven't seen any in decades = (
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LOL! I absolutely hated these lizards when I was a kid. I swore they waited outside the door to chase me. Now they are everywhere! And I don't care! The native Anole lizards are green, but the brown Cuban Anoles have run them off. There are also some black Anoles, but they are too fast to catch in a picture. And I have a few other critters. Cuban tree frogs - which are eating the native green tree frogs. So Fish and Wildlife wants us to kill them. Cuban tree frog hiding in a bromeliad. And hiding in my jade.AND in my rooting hibiscus. And my friend, the black racer! He comes out when I am watering my plants. Nosy bugger!
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SaintPFLA
13 years ago
Soooo lucky! None in my yard - downtown St. Pete. But, I did see one at my friends house over in Saftey Harbour.

I 'think' they prefer heavy shade and leafy areas not close to the salt water - which is not my yard.
greentfinger
13 years ago
I have seen quite a few at Sawgrass Lake and Weedon Island but never in lower St. Pete.
corar4gw
13 years ago
I see them occaisionally, but like saintpfla said, nearly always in or very near shade. Had one spend the winter in the ficus tree that I drug into the garage. Drove the dog crazy.
tomncath
13 years ago
I'm up here near Weedon, saw one last year briefly, then gone...Being a 4th generation native I really miss them, along with lightening bugs and many other critters long gone now....Mostly those d**n miniature Cuban chupacabras around here now :-(

Tom
amberroses
13 years ago
There were lightning bugs here in Florida!? I miss seeing them in Ohio.
ladywingr
13 years ago
There are still lightning bugs in Florida - I see them rural and inland, just haven't seen any near the heavily populated (and pesticided) coasts.

Tom - chupacabra - love the analogy!!

Terri
User
13 years ago
had this little guy a few months ago, eating the bugs as they came on the bloom. think i posted it to try and find the plant id. anyway, have quite a few, mostly stay up high, trees, gazebo, screen room.
KaraLynn
Original Author
13 years ago
For years I didn't see many of the native anoles but did see alot of the cuban anoles but after last years hard winter where it stayed below freezing at night for over a week the cuban population has really fallen.

That is a great picture, wallisadi! I love the way it looks like he checking you out while you were taking the picture.

Kara
tomncath
13 years ago
That is a great picture, wallisadi!

I agree, phenomenal picture!!!!! You should enter it in a photo contest for Florida nature pictures.

Tom
dirtygardener73
13 years ago
I've seen them in Punta Gorda at my friend's house. It was so strange, because it was on the wall, and a Cuban tree frog was right under it trying to stalk it. We caught the frog and stuck him in the freezer.
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
13 years ago
Awesome pictures!! We have green anoles, green treefrogs, and last summer I saw lightning bugs in the woods behind our property. I feel lucky!!
SaintPFLA
13 years ago
Love the lizard shot!

@Tom: Lightening Bugs...boy, I miss those! Up in Boston, my brother and I would catch them all summer and of course, keep them in a jar over night.

I admit I feel a twinge of guilt at any that perished because of me!....LOLOL!
gardencpa
13 years ago
I agree. Great pictures! They have always seemed to be around my house but definitely in the higher spots. Tall potted plants and the top half of the greenhouse. I love to see them around. Every few years we see some lightning bugs but not many.

Melissa
nova_gw
13 years ago
I have many anoles around my yard and lighting bugs too! But then I live in the Ocala National Forest so I get all kinds of wildlife wondering through the yard. Here is a picture of one of my anoles hanging out in a native orchid -
greentfinger
13 years ago
nova,that photo is positively beautiful. Those Orchids with it bring out a beauty of nature, not seen in many places.
loufloralcityz9
13 years ago
The many anoles in my screen-greenhouse are the kitty toys.
Most of them look like little formula-one race cars because they have no tails.
They have learned to stay up high on the screens and out of the mouth of the kitty cats.
The ones that didn't learn are in the kitty cats bellies. The cats need to eat their greens.

Lou
User
13 years ago
Apparently I need to read up on the lizards as I did not realize some were native and some were not. We have a ton of them here.....pure green ones, green ones with red throat patches, brown ones and some that are brown with zig zag lines on their backs.....no clue what they are cute little devils. We have bunches of the bluetail skinks? as well, sorry I don't know their real name. We use to have the geckos as well, the ones with the huge round eyes and real light tan to white bodies that only came out at night. Sadly The very cold winter year before this one seems to have killed them all.
loufloralcityz9
13 years ago
Yup BR, got all them lizards here too. The cold did knock down a bunch of them though.
I think the native lizards were the best survivors.

Yesterday I found a large black snake with yellow stripes eating at the feral cat dish on the back stoop.
I never would have imagined they would eat dry cat food.

Lou