Types of Lizards in Delaware: A Field Guide to the State’s 4 Native Species
September 22, 2026
Only four types of lizards in Delaware occur in the wild, a surprisingly short list for a state that stretches from Piedmont hills to Atlantic salt marsh. There are 4 species/subspecies, representing 4 genus, found in Delaware all of which are native species, and each one has carved out its own niche among brush piles, hollow logs, and sun-warmed fence rails.
Only a few lizards live in Delaware, with three skinks and the eastern fence lizard recorded in the wild. That short roster makes Delaware one of the easier states for a beginner to master lizard identification, since there’s no risk of confusing a native species with dozens of look-alikes the way you might in a larger state. Delaware’s reptile checklist is broader than lizards alone, and readers who want the full picture can compare notes with the snakes found throughout Delaware as well.
Twenty-three species of lizards and snakes, collectively known as squamates, are known to occur in Delaware, and of these, 12 species are considered species of greatest conservation need in the state, according to the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife. That conservation focus matters for lizard watchers too, since habitat loss affects even the four common species covered here.
Important Note: The four species below are Delaware’s native lizards. Most non-native reptile species are unsuited for the climate here and cannot survive Delaware’s cold winters, though tiny populations of Mediterranean geckos have been established in the state since the early 2000s. Any gecko-like lizard you spot in an urban area is almost certainly one of these escaped or released pets, not a native species.
| Species | Relative Size | Primary Delaware Habitat | Signature Identification Trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Fence Lizard | Small to medium | Open woods, brush piles, fallen logs | Rough, keeled scales; blue throat patches on males |
| Common Five-lined Skink | Medium | Damp forests, leaf litter near water | Five pale stripes; bright blue tail on juveniles |
| Little Brown Skink (Ground Skink) | Very small | Leaf litter, gardens, brush piles | Glossy brown body; quick, snake-like wriggle |
| Broad-headed Skink | Large | Mature forests, hollow logs, tree cavities | Largest Delaware skink; orange-red head on breeding males |
1. Eastern Fence Lizard
The eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) is the only true “true lizard” on this list, distinct from Delaware’s three skink species by its rough, spiny scales. In a lifetime of watching lizards, the Eastern Fence Lizard has to be one of the most common across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and Delaware is no exception.
It prefers savanna-type habitats, usually around trees and shrubs, but can also be found in more open grasslands and mixed forests. You’ll likely find the Eastern Fence Lizard in Delaware in open forests with plenty of fallen logs and debris to hide in. This same habitat preference holds true well beyond Delaware’s borders; the closely related populations documented in the lizards of Tennessee favor nearly identical brushy, sun-exposed terrain.
Pro Tip: Eastern Fence Lizards are most active during the early morning before it gets too hot, so scan fence posts, woodpiles, and sun-warmed logs shortly after sunrise for the best chance of a sighting.
Eastern Fence Lizards eat twice per day, and their diet is made up of insects like ants, beetles, and grasshoppers. They are foragers, which means they’ll leave their homes searching for food but often return to the same general area at night. Anyone curious about the specific beetle species making up part of that diet can browse the beetles found in Delaware for a closer look at common prey items.
One threat has reshaped this species in parts of its range. Bites from fire ants can kill an Eastern Fence Lizard in less than an hour, and to combat these non-native insects, these spiny lizards have adapted longer arms and legs, thicker skin, as well as new behaviors like climbing trees to stay out of harm’s way. Fire ants are less established in Delaware than farther south, but the adaptation shows how quickly a single invasive insect can reshape a native reptile’s behavior. Readers can find a full identification guide to this species at Bird Watching HQ’s Delaware lizard guide.
2. Five-lined Skink
The common five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) earns its name honestly. Named for its distinctive five-line pattern of stripes that run down its body, this small species of skink can be found in damp forested areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a range that reaches well into Delaware’s western woodlands.
Coloring shifts dramatically with age and sex. Males of this species boast a bright blue tail and five distinct yellow-to-white lines down the length of their body, while females are larger than males and sport a red head with less distinct lines. Juveniles carry the most vivid blue tails of all, a trait that fades as they mature.
Quick identification pointers for this species include:
- Five cream-to-yellow stripes running the length of a smooth, glossy body
- A bright blue tail in young skinks, dulling to gray-brown in adults
- A preference for leaf litter, rotting logs, and damp ground near water
- Fast, darting movement rather than the slow walk of a fence lizard
Insects make up the bulk of this skink’s diet, and Delaware’s damp forests supply plenty of them. Curious readers can check the wasps documented in Delaware to see one prey group these skinks regularly hunt among leaf litter. For added field detail on where this species turns up locally, Delaware Beaches Events’ field notes track sightings across Sussex County. The five-lined skink also shows up well beyond the First State; readers comparing regional populations can look at the lizards of Georgia, where the species remains common in similar wooded habitat.
3. Little Brown Skink (Ground Skink)
The little brown skink, or ground skink (Scincella lateralis), is easy to overlook and that’s the point. It has an olive green body with brown stripes, giving it an easily recognizable appearance once you know what to look for, though its dark brown or black stripes and speckling along the sides give it a distinct look in some individuals, since coloring varies by population.
Movement gives this species away faster than color does. This small amphibious reptile uses its long, slender tail to prop itself up and move around, producing a snake-like wriggle through leaf litter that startles many first-time observers. That’s a very handy adaptation for one of the smallest reptiles in Delaware, since speed and stealth are its main defenses against predators.
Don’t mistake small size for helplessness. It may be small, but the little brown skink can be aggressive if it feels threatened, delivering a surprising nip if handled carelessly. The Little Brown Skink has many predators, including snakes, larger lizards, and birds of prey, and when they try to sneak up on a “sleeping” Little Brown Skink, often the skink can run away using the element of surprise.
Diet consists mainly of tiny invertebrates found in leaf litter and garden mulch. The flies recorded in Delaware make up a share of that menu, along with spiders and small beetle larvae. Readers curious how such a small, ground-dwelling species compares to lizards adapted for drier climates can browse the lizards of California for contrast.
4. Broad-headed Skink
The broad-headed skink (Plestiodon laticeps) is the giant of Delaware’s lizard lineup. Description: The broad-headed skink is the largest native lizard in the southeast, and broad-headed skinks grow to be the largest skinks in the region, reaching lengths of approximately 6.5 to 12.75 inches according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Key Insight: The primary distribution of Plestiodon laticeps is restricted to the warm, humid climate of the southeast US, stretching from Delaware south to Florida, and west to parts of Kansas and Texas, which places Delaware right at the species’ northern edge of range.
Color changes tell you a lot about age and season. Adult individuals typically show an olive-brown coloration, and during breeding season, male heads turn bright orange or red, fading by early summer. Adult females often retain light striping and may look similar to five-lined skinks, while juveniles are dark brown or black, marked with five to seven yellow stripes and vivid blue tails. One reliable way to tell it apart from a five-lined skink is the presence of five labial scales instead of four, according to NC Wildlife’s species profile.
This species spends far more time off the ground than Delaware’s other lizards. Preferred habitats include swamp forests, moist hardwood and mixed forests, cypress swamps, and even abandoned urban lots with debris, and these skinks are semi-arboreal, often seen in trees using branches, tree cavities, and loose bark. In neighboring Virginia, they inhabit open forested areas and are most common in open, mature pine stands and mixed hardwood forest, according to the Virginia Herpetological Society, a habitat pattern that carries north into Delaware’s own woodlands.
Development pressure is a real concern for this species at the edge of its range. In areas of urban development, this lizard will have difficulty surviving because of the loss of open wooded stands large enough to support viable populations, and because of mortality from humans and domestic cats. Anyone tempted to keep one is better off leaving it wild; broad-headed skinks are rarely suited to captivity, and readers interested in species that do adapt well to a terrarium should look at general guides to pet reptiles instead.
Despite the impressive size and bite strength, this skink poses no real danger. Young skinks are often mistakenly referred to as “scorpions” because of their bright blue tails and habit of thrashing them when threatened, but in reality they are completely harmless to humans, and although a large adult may deliver a noticeable bite, broad-headed skinks are non-venomous and pose no danger. Range maps place strong populations farther south in states like the ones covered in the lizards of Texas guide, where warmer winters support denser numbers.
Longevity sets this skink apart from its smaller relatives too. They are long-lived among lizards, with some individuals known to live up to 8 years, giving a lucky observer repeat chances to spot the same animal basking in the same hollow log year after year.
Protecting Delaware’s Native Lizards
Delaware’s four native lizard species share the same basic needs: fallen logs, leaf litter, and forest edges that development keeps shrinking. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control spent nearly a decade mapping exactly where these animals persist. Thanks to a very extensive project that took the better part of a decade, the state now has a better idea about the location of reptiles and amphibians, work documented in the department’s Gone Herpin’ reptile and amphibian survey.
Leaving brush piles, dead logs, and leaf litter undisturbed in a backyard does more for these lizards than any single conservation program. Homeowners across the state who garden with native plants and skip pesticides near wood piles tend to see fence lizards and skinks return season after season. For a broader sense of how lizard diversity shifts by region, the lizards of Florida guide offers a useful comparison, since several of Delaware’s species reach the northern limit of ranges that stretch all the way to the Florida peninsula.