Garden lizards, also known as common lizards, primarily feast on various types of insects, beetles, small invertebrates and occasionally plant matter. Their diet typically includes worms, snails, spiders, myriapods, and other small insects, which help maintain the balance in the ecosystem.
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Primary Diet of Garden Lizards
The primary diet of garden lizards can vary depending on the specific species and their habitat. However, in general, garden lizards are opportunistic feeders and consume a diverse range of food items. Some common elements of their diet include:
- Insects: Garden lizards are insectivorous and feed on a variety of insects such as crickets, flies, beetles, ants, grasshoppers, and spiders. They have sharp eyesight and can track and snatch small moving prey.
- Worms and larvae: They may also feed on worms, caterpillars, and insect larvae found in the soil or on plants.
- Small invertebrates: Garden lizards may consume small invertebrates like snails, slugs, and millipedes when the opportunity arises.
By eating these bugs, garden lizards act as natural pest control. Damage that insects would otherwise do to plants is held in check by these efficient hunters.
Feeding Preferences and Exceptions
Garden lizards are primarily insectivores, relying on a variety of small, soft-bodied insects as their main food source. However, during times of scarcity, they may consume small amounts of plant matter as a survival mechanism.
There are certain foods that should be kept away from garden lizards due to their potential toxicity. These include toxic or poisonous plants, insects caught in the wild that may have been exposed to pesticides, fatty or toxic human foods like chocolate and onions, large or hard prey items that can cause digestive issues, and non-nutritious or imbalanced diets.
Conclusion
Garden lizards eat flexibly, taking on any food small enough to fit in their mouths. Even so, it helps to match what you offer with the prey they prefer. Whether you love nature, keep a garden, or are thinking about a garden lizard as a pet, understanding how they eat makes it easier to live alongside these fascinating reptiles.
