I've never seen one in my yard :( Maybe the natives are better able to handle the recent cold winters?

Oh lucky you! We had those everywhere around here when I was a kid, but I haven't seen any in decades = (

Soooo lucky! None in my yard - downtown St. Pete. But, I did see one at my friends house over in Saftey Harbour.

I 'think' they prefer heavy shade and leafy areas not close to the salt water - which is not my yard.

I have seen quite a few at Sawgrass Lake and Weedon Island but never in lower St. Pete.

I see them occaisionally, but like saintpfla said, nearly always in or very near shade. Had one spend the winter in the ficus tree that I drug into the garage. Drove the dog crazy.

I'm up here near Weedon, saw one last year briefly, then gone...Being a 4th generation native I really miss them, along with lightening bugs and many other critters long gone now....Mostly those d**n miniature Cuban chupacabras around here now :-(

Tom

There were lightning bugs here in Florida!? I miss seeing them in Ohio.

There are still lightning bugs in Florida - I see them rural and inland, just haven't seen any near the heavily populated (and pesticided) coasts.

Tom - chupacabra - love the analogy!!

Terri

For years I didn't see many of the native anoles but did see alot of the cuban anoles but after last years hard winter where it stayed below freezing at night for over a week the cuban population has really fallen.

That is a great picture, wallisadi! I love the way it looks like he checking you out while you were taking the picture.

Kara

That is a great picture, wallisadi!

I agree, phenomenal picture!!!!! You should enter it in a photo contest for Florida nature pictures.

Tom

I've seen them in Punta Gorda at my friend's house. It was so strange, because it was on the wall, and a Cuban tree frog was right under it trying to stalk it. We caught the frog and stuck him in the freezer.

Awesome pictures!! We have green anoles, green treefrogs, and last summer I saw lightning bugs in the woods behind our property. I feel lucky!!

Love the lizard shot!

@Tom: Lightening Bugs...boy, I miss those! Up in Boston, my brother and I would catch them all summer and of course, keep them in a jar over night.

I admit I feel a twinge of guilt at any that perished because of me!....LOLOL!

I agree. Great pictures! They have always seemed to be around my house but definitely in the higher spots. Tall potted plants and the top half of the greenhouse. I love to see them around. Every few years we see some lightning bugs but not many.

Melissa

I have many anoles around my yard and lighting bugs too! But then I live in the Ocala National Forest so I get all kinds of wildlife wondering through the yard. Here is a picture of one of my anoles hanging out in a native orchid -

nova,that photo is positively beautiful. Those Orchids with it bring out a beauty of nature, not seen in many places.

The many anoles in my screen-greenhouse are the kitty toys.
Most of them look like little formula-one race cars because they have no tails.
They have learned to stay up high on the screens and out of the mouth of the kitty cats.
The ones that didn't learn are in the kitty cats bellies. The cats need to eat their greens.

Lou

Apparently I need to read up on the lizards as I did not realize some were native and some were not. We have a ton of them here.....pure green ones, green ones with red throat patches, brown ones and some that are brown with zig zag lines on their backs.....no clue what they are cute little devils. We have bunches of the bluetail skinks? as well, sorry I don't know their real name. We use to have the geckos as well, the ones with the huge round eyes and real light tan to white bodies that only came out at night. Sadly The very cold winter year before this one seems to have killed them all.

Yup BR, got all them lizards here too. The cold did knock down a bunch of them though.
I think the native lizards were the best survivors.

Yesterday I found a large black snake with yellow stripes eating at the feral cat dish on the back stoop.
I never would have imagined they would eat dry cat food.

Lou