Five Lined Skink: An Ogemaw County Year

Early one morning in my garden, I spotted something unusual—a five-lined blue-tailed skink moving swiftly along the edge of the logs bordering the garden soil. The bright blue of its tail stood out immediately against the earth tones, and I watched as it quickly darted between the logs, using the cover for protection.

The five-lined blue-tailed skink, or Plestiodon fasciatus, is a common species in Michigan, found mostly in the southern and central parts of the state. The skink’s body is brown or olive with five light stripes running down its length, but its most striking feature is the bright blue tail. This blue tail is not just for looks—it serves as a defense mechanism. If a predator grabs the tail, the skink can shed it and escape, leaving the tail behind. The tail will regrow over time, although it won’t be as bright as before.

Skinks are found in warm, dry environments like gardens, woodlands, and sandy areas. They seek shelter under logs, rocks, or debris, where they stay safe and hidden. In the spring, they emerge from hibernation, often under leaves or soil, where they’ve spent the winter months in a dormant state. As temperatures warm, the skinks become more active, hunting for insects to eat and storing up energy for the rest of the year. This is also the time when they mate, and females lay their eggs in warm, sandy soil, typically in hidden spots like beneath logs. Once the eggs hatch, the young skinks, with their bright blue tails, begin their own journey of survival.

By late fall, the young skinks are beginning to grow and lose some of their bright coloration, though their tails may remain slightly blue for some time. As the weather turns colder, they head back into hibernation, retreating into the shelter of the earth once more.

The five-lined blue-tailed skink is a part of Michigan’s wildlife, playing an important role by controlling insect populations. They help keep balance in the ecosystems they live in, and by leaving piles of logs or brush in your garden, you can support these and other reptiles. Giving skinks a place to hide and live helps keep our local wildlife thriving.

So, the next time you’re in your garden or walking through a patch of woods, look carefully. You might just see a flash of blue darting between the leaves, a reminder of the quiet creatures living among us.