Broad and Reel

Anyone who has ever vacationed in the south has probably seen an anole before…and probably thought it was a gecko. That’s what I used to think the green reptiles were.

I chose an anole to be my first post because they are soooo neat and I actually see them pretty frequently.

Anole’s have 3 traits that make   them unique.

1. Anole’s most distinct feature is their ability to change color, which is why many people confuse them with chameleons. I usually see them as a super bright green but I’ve also seen them an olive green color and even brown.

2. The tiny lizards have what I call throat puffers but technically they are called dewlaps. This is the pink bubble on the photo to the left. Both male and female anoles have dewlaps but the male’s are much more obvious. Male anoles use the dewlap to attract females and ward of possible predators.

3. Anoles can climb flat surfaces… seen in the picture to the left. They are actually pretty quick at climbing anything…even that chain link fence in the pictures.

Other random facts about anoles:

-Most anoles measure between 3-7 inches

-The majority of anoles live between 3 and 5 years

-Anoles eat bugs…moths and spiders are their favorite

So now you know, it’s not a gecko. It’s anole!