What Insects Can a Plateau Lizard Eat?

Plateau lizards, also known as prairie or fence lizards, consist of several species spread across the United States. Plateau lizards are commonly divided into three geographical subgroups, which also helps determine their common names: the fence lizards of the east, the prairie lizards of South Dakota and south through Texas and New Mexico, and the plateau lizards of the southwest and north to Wyoming. From the distinctive red-tipped snout of the red-lipped plateau Lizard to the albino skin of the white sands prairie lizard, plateau lizards embody a variety of distinguishing colorings and markings, but they all enjoy a similar diet of insects and other invertebrates.

  1. Eastern Fence Lizard

    • The eastern fence lizard, also called the fence swift or gray lizard, is a plateau lizard that inhabits the region from Delaware to Florida and west to New Mexico and Arizona. There are at least seven subspecies of this lizard, each with its specific habitat, including sunny locations, rotting logs, open woodlands, fences, walls, open grassy dunes and prairies. This lizard's palate is quite diverse, as it will eat almost any type of insect, including crickets and grasshoppers. Beetles are a prime meal choice and ant hills are another preferred meal source.

    Striped Plateau Lizard

    • The other main species of plateau lizard is the striped plateau lizard. It has no subspecies and it inhabits the region of southeast Arizona, southwest New Mexico and the bordering Mexico area. It resides in forests and the rocky, sandy banks of shallow streams. Like other plateau lizards, the striped plateau lizard enjoys a plethora of insect varieties, with grasshoppers at the top of the list.

    Non-Insect Prey

    • Though plateau lizards hunt a vast array of insects, they also occasionally consume other local invertebrates. Favorite non-insect prey include snails, centipedes and a wide variety of spiders.

    Method for Catching Prey

    • Unlike many predators, a plateau lizard does not chase after its prey. Rather, it sits and quietly waits for its meal to crawl by. It searches for its food visually by watching for movement, and once the prey is spotted, it quickly pounces. The lizard then uses the small row of teeth on its upper and lower jaws and on the roof of its mouth to crush its meal and swallow it with minimal chewing. Plateau lizards are diurnal, meaning they hunt for insects and other prey in the daytime when the outside temperature has risen above 65 degrees. During the winter, plateau lizards take a break from hunting and find a small crevice or hole in a rock or tree to hibernate.