Family: Scincidae, Skinks view all from this family
Description 6 1/2-12 3/4" (16.5-32.4 cm). Large and brown, with wide head and 5 broad light stripes, including dorsolateral stripe along 4th scale row counting from middle of back. Stripes fade with age; adult males uniform brown with red-orange head. Tail blue to brown; wide lengthwise row of scales under tail. Juveniles black with brilliant striping, bright blue tail.
Breeding Mates April to May. Clutch of 6-16 eggs laid May to July in excavations under logs or leaf litter; hatches June to August, occasionally later. Female tends eggs.
Habitat Moist wooded areas; also open areas where low shelter is provided by leafy debris or piles of rubble.
Range Se. Pennsylvania to c. Florida, along the Gulf Coast to e. Texas, north to Kansas and Illinois.
Discussion Diurnal. This lizard is often found hunting insects high in trees. It has been observed shaking the nests of paper wasps to dislodge pupae, which it consumes; apparently wasp stings are unable to penetrate the skink's bony scales. Throughout much of their range Broad-headed Skinks are locally called scorpions.
