Herping in Vegas

Can you #FindThatLizard?!

I drove almost 12 hours from Los Angeles to Vegas (and back) only to not see any of the lizard species I had hoped to see, and I only got these couple of photos. And I'd do it again! 

I had hoped to see some western banded geckos, collared lizards, horned lizards, and a gila monster (a long shot, I know). Before my trip, I did a lot of research on where I should go. I had BIG plans.

Tonight you’re searching for a sagebrush lizard. 

My home base was Mt. Charleston, Hilltop Campground at site 33. Ya’ll when I tell you it was such a great place to stay, 100/10 would recommend. My campsite experience made the whole trip worth it!

The summer heat foiled them. The first two days I saw almost nothing. A couple of fence lizards, a whiptail, and a few of somebody’s hatchlings.

On my third and last day, I visited Calico Basin. I got there early, 7 am. It was almost 90 degrees even that early, and I worried I wouldn’t see anything. A fellow hiker on his way to his car said he’d been there since 4 am and didn’t see anything. Herping really is just the luck of the draw. 

Within the first 30 mins of this hike, I saw a sagebrush lizard. These small lizards are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. They primarily eat insects like flies, spiders, beetles, ants, grasshoppers, and moths. If you need some natural pest control, lizards are a great addition to any garden!

Let me know in the comments if you #FoundThatLizard.