Western fence lizard

Western Fence Lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis

Western fence lizard

Western Fence Lizard - Our Backyard

Hatchling western fence lizard catching the early morning sun #reptiles

When I go out hiking in California, I will often encounter a Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis). I encountered this one along CA-16 and Cache Creek in the northwestern corner of Yolo County, California. Several subspecies are found in California. Based on where I found this one, it is probably subspecies occidentalis, the Northwestern Fence Lizard.

Basic facts about Western Fence Lizard: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status.

Western Fence Lizard

Yesterday afternoon I was able to photograph one of my local backyard critters. I have been seeing it all summer around the pond and the fire pit. It's not very nervous. Being so young and small it probably has little fear of humans. I photographed it on the flagstone (sandstone) from above just because I wanted to really capture the beauty of it's scales. Normally I prefer photographing lizards at ground level because it's a more interesting point of view. In this situation from above it…

Discover the Western Fence Lizard, with its quick reflexes, unique adaptations and vibrant blue belly. It even plays a role in controlling Lyme disease. Click to explore!

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20140721 20140721 Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is native to parts of Western North America.

western fence lizard

western fence lizard

Explore Thomas Shahan 3's 2467 photos on Flickr!

Is there a way to tell the difference between male vs female lizards? How do they attract their mates?