If you have a natural garden, you might have seen the shy sand lizards sunbathing. As a typical resident of transition and border areas, the reptiles, which are strictly under nature protection, depend on us offering them suitable habitats.

Sand lizards are looking for a partner in May

The look

Sand lizards have a rather stocky body with short legs. Compared to the wood lizard and the wall lizard, they appear much stronger and a bit clumsier.

The basic color of the sand lizard is brown. During the mating season, the flanks of adult males turn green. In south-west Germany there are also animals that are completely green during the mating season.

The underside is yellowish in females. The abdomen of the males is green all year round with black spots. An arrangement of white lines and dots runs down the back, which is unique to each animal.

size

In our latitudes, sand lizards reach a size of 12 to 24 centimeters, measured from the head to the tip of the tail. After the green lizard, the sand lizard is the second largest species of lizard in our country.

The distribution of the sand lizard

As a former steppe dweller, the sand lizard prefers to settle in shifting sand areas. Since these habitats were increasingly disappearing, it is now mainly found in replacement habitats.

She is on:

  • Clearings of not too dense forests,
  • dry heaths,
  • Areas with nutrient-poor or semi-arid grassland
  • along railway lines, roads and canals

to meet

way of life of the animals

In winter, the sand lizards hide in frost-free burrows that they dig themselves or that other small animals have created. The males leave their winter quarters in March and the females in April.

The mating season begins in early May. Mating is preceded by a common "mating march". The females then settle in sunny places to promote the development of the eggs.

Egg-laying occurs in sandy places until mid-July. The female digs small holes into which she lays 5 to 14 soft-shelled eggs.

The males go to their winter quarters as early as August. The females follow in September, the young in October.

Create a lizard friendly garden

If you create a wide variety of habitats in your garden, sand lizards will also settle in your neighborhood:

  • under one hedge the animals can hide and find protection from enemies. - In a flowery meadow, they can hunt numerous prey animals.
  • A rock garden or one natural stone wall invite you to sunbathe.
  • Messy pile of wood provide protection. If the sun reaches them, the sand lizards can warm up after the cool night.
  • Sparsely vegetated areas with a sandy bottom are ideal for laying eggs.

tips

Avoid using herbicides and insecticides in your garden to protect the lizards and their prey. If necessary, you can successfully combat snails, aphids and other harmful insects with environmentally friendly household remedies or plant manure.

Category:

Animals in the garden