WHAT WAS THAT?

exclaimed an out of state visitor while watching TV.   The guest had just experienced an added attraction to central Oregon--a skink lizard seeking refuge under the baseboard heating element had just raced across the carpet.  The episode was a surprise for me as well. I have never seen them in the house. Apparently, it had taken a wrong turn somewhere.

'The Nature of Bend', by LeeAnn Kriegh has been my quick coffee table reference for summer visitors.  You have to admit, how many city visitors witness a fox in the backyard, visits from Bambi and mama munching down the plants and viewed hummingbirds feeding while drinking their morning coffee.  The book has had a workout these past 3 months.

The common name is Western skink (Eumeces skiltonianus).  The body size is 2.5 -4 inches.  The bright blue tail, which can break off when threatened, is 4-5 inches long.  An example from the book was a kestrel attracted by the thrashing blue tail, swoops down to grab the tail which breaks off, 'leaving the kestrel with a squirming meal that's a whole lot smaller than expected.'  

The ability to shed the tail is actually a survival tactic when handled by a human or chased by a predator.  Predators often focus on the wriggling tail while the skink sheds his tail which allows the skink to escape. The tail will regrow but it costs the skink a lot of energy.  The color of the tail will be less bright as the skink ages.  

Much to the surprise of many, skinks are valuable beneficials for our gardens.  They are typically unseen and generally underappreciated. Their prey includes grasshoppers, spiders and beetles.  Snails, slugs, cockroaches and even small mice are part of their diet in other areas.

When a skink is sexually mature, it will often have a red or orange marking on it.  About 55% of skinks

lay eggs, the other 45% give birth to live offspring. Skinks prepare their nests in moist soil under objects in the garden.  The female typically lays about 5 eggs in a clutch.  Eggs are similar in appearance to chicken eggs only much smaller in size and soft and rubbery in texture.  Skinks will sometimes lay their eggs in communal nests and a single communal nest may contain dozens of eggs.

You can be a garden buddy by following a few hints I read:  Accumulate plenty of leaf mulch on garden beds.  This provides the ideal location for skinks to hide and feed.  You could also use mulch hay.  Place a water bowl in the garden bed and lean a small stick in it so that skinks drinking there can climb out.

Avoid using pesticides, if a skink eats a contaminated insect, it will also be poisoned.  Keep dogs and cats out of the garden (if that is possible!) as they will eat the skinks.

We watched the area where we saw the skink with no luck for a second glance which disappointed the guests.  When they left, they had many memories of being in Bend.  They commented over and over how lucky we were to live in such beautiful country.

I can't help but wonder--do we really appreciate what we see and experience or do we take it for granted?  Maybe it's time to give it some thought.