Weasel skinks are small skinks, common in home gardens. Usually found in or under rotting timber, stones & leaf litter, they use vegetation for shelter in moist areas. They are good climbers and can be seen on vertical walls. Their tail aids balance and is much longer than their body.

They hunt for small insects such as mosquitoes & flies, usually at night and will drop their tail to evade capture. Like all ‘drop-tail’ lizards, their tail distracts the predator by twisting and wiggling long after the lizard has escaped. Females lay up to 4 eggs each, in a communal nest shared by other females.

Length 15cm

Illustration and photos: Mark Trinham