California Garden Lizard

The two most common lizards we have are the western fence lizard also known as a blue belly and the alligator lizard.

California garden lizard. If you have a garden please don t use any harmful chemicals as the lizard is likely to eat bugs from your garden. For wild baby lizards it can be harder but they will feed on smaller live bugs that they can find and eat. The southern alligator lizard elgaria multicarinata is a common species of lizard native to the pacific coast of north america.

The only dangerously venomous native lizard found in california is the gila monster which is extremeley rare and has only been found in a few locations in the eastern mojave desert. The western fence lizard frequently suns itself on rocks fences and buildings making it easy prey for snakes and birds. Lizards don t seem to mind the.

The most common species of lizard in california is the western fence lizard. These are pictures of california s indigenous lizards along with some introduced species. Southern alligator lizard this is the lizard i am most often asked to identify.

To the gardener the lizard is a constant companion sitting on rocks scurrying under shrubs getting out of the way when the garden hose goes on. Although some lizards eat plants most lizards feed on insects. Click on a name link to go to the main page for more pictures and information about a particular lizard and its habitat.

This lizard is 6 to 9 inches long and brown or black in color with blue markings on the sides of its belly. Lizards cause no measurable damage to plants in gardens and may be beneficial by eating pest insects and should be left alone. In california the most common types feed on beetles ants wasps aphids grasshoppers and spiders.

Commonly seen in yards and gardens in southern california and in rural areas in other parts of the state. It ranges from baja california to the state of washington and lives in a variety of habitats including grasslands chaparral forests and even urban areas. Since lizards are vulnerable to pollutants their mere existence in the garden indicates low levels of pesticides and heavy metals.