Lizards - Reptile in the Food Forest
In general, when we think about creating a natural habitat on our property, we are focused on beautiful birds and butterflies. Often, we forget about the important reptiles.
My food forest is full of lizards. I love it when I spot a lizard sitting on a rock soaking up the sun. The sound they make running on the wood chips when they are startled always puts a smile on my face. It's hilarious to watch them doing their "push-ups". They are just so much fun to watch in the garden.
Looks like we will have a bunch of baby lizards running around the food forest soon
Why Invite Lizards to your garden
Lizards are very beneficial to gardeners. Small lizards feed on insects and larvae, while larger lizards will eagerly slurp up slugs and snails. Lizards feed on a wide variety of small insects such as crickets, cockroaches, moths, grubs, beetles, flies and grasshoppers. Don't bother trying to teach your lizards eating manners. They don't chew their food, they swallow it whole.
How to attract Lizards to Your Garden
Untidy gardens are great for lizards. They need places to hide and cover when hunting and feeding. They also need shelters when it's really hot or cold outside. Put out some rotting wood, rocks, or stones around the garden to provide cover for the lizards. In my food forest, lizards like to use the shade tarp as shelter.
The most important part a gardener can do to help attract lizards to the property is to stop the use of chemicals. Wiping out the insect population in your garden with a pesticide may seem like a good idea, but in doing so you are removing the food source for the lizards. If they don't have anything to eat, they won’t hang around your garden.
Lizards are incredibly efficient when it comes to moisture retention. However, they still appreciate a drink or two of water especially during really hot Summer months. Find a protected spot in the garden and put out a shallow bowl of water, your lizards will drink it right up.
Now sit back and watch. There is no need to try and find lizards to bring to your garden. If you build it, they will come.
we have some pretty big local lizzies in our forest too. i need to snap some pics. those oklahoma... lizards are gorgeous!!!! they almost look like tropical lizards. thanks for this beautiful post....resteemed. please keep them coming! :)))) truly amazing photography here!!! i love the one sitting on the pepper! :) lol....crazy you caught them mating!! i have never seen that!
Thank you! I love taking pictures of the food forest we created here. Gives me something to look at when it's raining cats and dogs outside. Oh, are those lizards mating? I thought they were just wrestling ;P
lol!!!!!!
In our garden we have seen "Green European Lizard" - they are rather large and amazing sight with their bright blue heads! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_green_lizard
European green lizard
The European green lizard (Lacerta viridis) is a large lizard distributed across European midlatitudes from Slovenia and eastern Austria to as far east as the Black Sea coasts of Ukraine and Turkey. It is often seen sunning on rocks or lawns, or sheltering amongst bushes.
I had to look up "Green European Lizard". Would love to see it in person. The bright blue head in the photos look so interesting!
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