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Look what I found in/on my garden path

last year

I wasn't sure what it was at first, and surely did not expect to see this when I picked up a partially used bag of mulch. It was so hot, we put it back over the "nest"

Nope, it isn't a snake, it is a skink lizard. But look at the size of the ten eggs! How did she lay so many? and she stayed curved around them for a few weeks.

Skinks eat grubs, cockroaches beetles and lots of bugs we want gone and most of what they eat is very helpful. I should have a skink crew in the garden now with all these eggs.

I thought it was interesting and wanted to share it.

kay

Featured Answer

shive

last year

I really thought it was a snake when I looked at the picture. The eggs look about as big as chicken eggs. Surely they're not. We have a lot of little black lizards and some with red heads and blue heads here.

Debra

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Comments (10)

organic_kitten
Original Author
last year
The eggs are about a half inch long maybe a tisker more but not anything like chicken eggs. You can see that she actually dug down to make her "nest." She was faithfully curled around the eggs like that every time I looked....I would wait a few days to lift the bag of mulch off to check them but they hatched and left without me seeing it since I didn't want to disturb her too much.

kay
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Rita, I always kill a few in the spring and early summer but mostly, they are young ones. I think though, that where theres smoke there's fire. Mama snake has to be around someplace. Chris, for a few years, I thought the babies were earthworms until I finally noticed how they crawl. I saved one I had killed and had it identified. I don't need to tell you that I look for and expect to see them here. I found a 3 foot rat snake in the middle of my back yard a couple of days ago but let him go because of his diet. I hate all snakes though.. Kay, don't you ever see them in your area? I think that the best snakes are the dead ones!! Squirelly Pete! I have a long fron porch and have gates at the bannister to keep critters off but I am surrounded by woods and there's lots of wild life. Some are not nice. There have been black bears seen very close by and I try to be aware of my surroundings anytime I am outside. We have tons of dogs ( my husband hunts) both beagles and tree hounds and the noise they make help to keep the critters at bay. I suppose they don't know ( critters) that the dogs are on chains.. Hahaha!! I won't tell if you won't! Ellie
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lilykate7a
last year
Always interesting to see nature at its best although that sight probably would have scared me silly until I knew what it was!! And yes, any critter that helps that much in the garden should live long and multiply!!
organic_kitten thanked lilykate7a
Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
last year
I had to look up what a Skink was. I see they can have communal nurseries, so maybe there are more Skinks that contributed to the eggs? What an interesting post......Maryl
organic_kitten thanked Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
mantis__oh
last year
Always nice to have friends in nature, unlike the Japanese beetles I am fighting now.
organic_kitten thanked mantis__oh
Julia WV (6b)
last year
Kay: I too thought it was a snake when first looking at the pic. Never heard of Skink.

Julia
organic_kitten thanked Julia WV (6b)
Nancy 6b
last year
There have been stinks here, did not realize they made nests like that. I sure thought it was a snake though.
sherrygirl zone5 N il
last year
Never heard of this critter. Anything that eats the bugs is good.

Sherry
organic_kitten thanked sherrygirl zone5 N il
Brad KY 6b
last year
We have blue tailed skinks here. Always happy to see them. They are as fast as lightening!
organic_kitten thanked Brad KY 6b
organic_kitten
Original Author
last year
Kate, Julia, and Nancy, they are often mistaken for snakes. Maryl, this variety does not have communal nurseries and 10 eggs is the usual number they have.. Mantis, hopefully your Japanese beetles will go the coarse ours have. I saw only two this year. The birds know thwy are food.Brad, we have blue tails too. they are smaller here than this one. Thank you all for looking and commenting.

kay

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