No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Size
About 6.5 to 12.75 inches in total length. Oklahoma gives about 12 inches for large adults and SREL up to 13 inches. Males are larger than females.
How to recognize it
Large, wide head; breeding males have swollen orange-red jowls.
Smooth, glass-like scales, short legs and a stocky body.
Upper-lip scales separate it from five-lined skinks: Maryland, Tennessee and North Carolina count five labial scales between the nostril and the eye rather than four. Oklahoma and Missouri count differently, around 8 or 9 in the full lip row.
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Where in Kentucky
Physiographic Regions: Cumberland Mountains, Cumberland Plateau, Plateau Escarpment, Knobs, Interior Plateau, Interior River Valley And Hills, Mississippi Valley Loess … KDFWR
Conservation
KY SWAP 2023 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (data deficient); priority group: Data Deficient; state rank S1
What the sources say
Range: Physiographic Regions: Cumberland Mountains, Cumberland Plateau, Plateau Escarpment, Knobs, Interior Plateau, Interior River Valley And Hills, Mississippi Valley Loess Plain
Habitat: Generally an open woodland and forest edge species; most often found in dry upland forest under rocks, woody debris, and loose pieces of roofing tin, old boards, or trash; occasionally found in mesic woodlands as well. Most Kentucky individuals were associated with woods roads, small woodland clearings including log landings, powerline rights-of-way, and rock-strewn wooded hillsides, or (in west Kentucky) abandoned gravel pits. (KDFWR)
No confirmed photo of Common Wall-lizard
Common Wall-lizard
Not statedNonnative
Venom
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Where in Kentucky
Physiographic Regions: Interior Plateau, Interior River Valley And Hills, Mississippi Valley Loess Plain KDFWR
Conservation
KY SWAP 2023 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (data deficient); priority group: Data Deficient; state rank S3
What the sources say
Habitat: Uses glades, barrens, abandoned quarries and gravel pits, open roadsides, eroded areas, margins of ag fields and other open, sunny habitats. (KDFWR)
KY SWAP 2023 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (data deficient); priority group: Data Deficient; state rank S2S3
What the sources say
Habitat: Occupies dry open woodlands and edges, powerline right-of-ways, roadsides, abandoned home sites, overgrazed fields, sunny trash dumps and other degraded habitats. (KDFWR)
NCWRC: broadhead skinks reach a much larger size. ODWC: juveniles can be told apart by counting the upper lip scales (five-lined: seven, with two post-labials; broad-headed: nine, with no post-labials).
Common Five-lined Skink or Southeastern Five-lined Skink?
Tennessee: the southeastern five-lined skink does not have an enlarged middle row of scales under the tail; positive identification requires examining the scales.
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When lizards are active in Kentucky
Records of lizards in Kentucky peak in April to June and August. They show when people record lizards, not how many there are (about month bars).
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
273 records of lizards in Kentucky by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).
How to report
Report people feeding bears or aggressive bears to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-25ALERT (1-800-252-5378); report sick or injured bats via the KDFWR online Report a Bat form; report suspected fire ant mounds or stings to UK Entomology at [email protected]. KDFWR
What official sources say
Are there venomous lizards in Kentucky?
No official Kentucky source read describes any of the 10 Kentucky lizards as venomous or dangerous. KDFWR
“At present, 56 species of reptiles are known to occur in Kentucky (10 lizards, 32 snakes, and 14 turtles).”
Snakes (Snakes of Kentucky). Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). archived copy, captured August 27, 2025; checked November 3, 2026.
Reptiles of Kentucky. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). archived copy, captured October 14, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (1)
“At present, 56 species of reptiles are known to occur in Kentucky (10 lizards, 32 snakes, and 14 turtles).”
Black Bears. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). archived copy, captured September 14, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (1)
“Immediately report any instances of people feeding bears to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife by calling 1-800-25ALERT (1-800-252-5378). [UK Entfact 469: "You can report a suspicious ant mound or a stinging event to the University of Kentucky Entomology Department through email, [email protected]"]”
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