Have you ever been hiking in the woods and all of a sudden you see a flash of blue running along the rocks. You stop and take note of the direction that the flash came from. You survey the area and all of a sudden, directly in front of you,located on a pile of rocks is a lizard that is probably the most vividly colored of all of the lizards that inhabits Kentucky:
Eumeces fasciatus AKA Blue Tailed Lizard AKA Five-Lined Skink.This is what happened the first time that I was on the Otter Creek Trail. The blue tailed lizard that I saw let me visit for a short time before he continued on his way to do what ever blue tailed lizards do. Before I give you anymore information about this cache I would like to take a moment and give you a short profile of this lizard:
Description: The Five-lined Skink ranges in size from 5-8.5 inches as adults. Adult coloration is black with five white to yellow stripes, turning pale as the skink ages. Juveniles are similar in coloration to the adult, except the stripes are usually brighter and the tail is a vivid blue. Identification among the Five-lined Skink, the Southeastern Five-lined Skink and the Broadhead Skink can be difficult. Consult a field guide for more specific characteristics.
Habitat: Found in dry or moist areas among rock piles, wood piles, stumps and stone foundations of buildings and fences.
Behavior: This skink is usually ground-based, but can climb trees in search of insects.
Please take a moment while hunting this cache a look for the Blue Tailed Lizard. You won’t regret the time spent looking for this little creature of the woods.
Remember obey the rules and regulations of the park. Be careful where you place your hands or any other part of your body. There are critters in this woods that could ruin a good geocaching day. Remember this is copperhead country.
Be Safe. Good Caching. Hope to Meet You On The Trail OneDay Soon.
BassetSlave