Gardening is one of those hobbies where you never stop learning. Being around plants leads to learning about soil, weather, water, bugs, and even creepy crawling things. I did get to see a neat creepy crawling thing in my yard this morning, a Green Anole!

The green anole lizard (Anolis arolinensis) is a beneficial lizard that is found in the southeastern United States. They are five to seven inches long and slender, and the males are a little larger than female anoles. They eat small insects like grasshoppers, flies, and spiders, and even grubs and cockroaches. That certainly makes them my friend in the garden!

The cool thing about the green anole that caught my eye is the male anole has a pink colored throat fan called a dewlap that puffs up. It is striking to see a bright green lizard puff up its pink throat while it bobs up and down! Males do this when they feel threatened by other males or when they are trying to entice females.

Another neat thing about anoles is that they can change color from green to brown. They are not a true chameleon that changes color to match their background, but they do change color because of stress or activity. Anoles can also lose part of their tail and grow it back. The new tail part is cartilage instead of bone and might look deformed.

Female anoles lay eggs through the spring and summer. The eggs are laid one at a time in moist soil, stumps, or plant litter, and they have a six-week incubation period.

Since this is mating season, be sure to be on the lookout for the male green anole with its pink throat. This lizard is active during the day, so you might be able to spot one while you are out in the yard or park. The green anole is a really neat thing to see!

For more information about gardening and other critters, contact Kate Whitney, Williamson County Horticulture Extension Agent, at 512-943-3300.