Yesterday, I heard rustling in the leaves along our Columbia house and suspected that a five-lined skink had resurfaced from its winter burrow following our recent, mild weather. That suspicion was confirmed this afternoon as a large, male skink scurried across the deck.
While another cold spell may send them back to their burrows, it is time to bulk up on larvae, insects, spiders and fruit if encountered. As I have reported in the past, these reptiles frequently visit our compost bin to gnaw on our kitchen waste and to feast on invertebrates drawn to the handouts.
Mating will generally take place in May and the young, with their bright-blue tails, seem to be everywhere by mid summer. Though harmless, these active creatures tend to spook children (and some adults) since they are a bit snake-like in appearance. The rest of us just enjoy watching their antics, squeezing through the narrowest crevices in search of prey.
