Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: Wisconsin's four lizard species share several traits.
This page lists 4 lizards: all from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources's Herps of Wisconsin: Lizards of Wisconsin table, checked against PUB ER-110.
Venom: “No. All of Wisconsin’s native lizards are small and harmless.” (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources)
Habitat: Skinks live in oak and pine barrens and along the edges of dry hardwood forests or in grassy openings in these forests. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
Venom: “No. All of Wisconsin’s native lizards are small and harmless.” (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources)
Habitat: Prairie Skink (Plestiodon septentrionalis), a Special Concern species in Wisconsin, prefers sandy soils in bracken grasslands or pine barrens. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
Venom: “No. All of Wisconsin’s native lizards are small and harmless.” (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources)
Habitat: The species is generally found in dry and bluff prairie habitats with sandy or loose soil that contain sparse, scattered vegetation. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
Venom: “No. All of Wisconsin’s native lizards are small and harmless.” (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources)
Habitat: Slender Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus), listed as Endangered in Wisconsin, prefers sandy oak savannas, sand prairies, old fields with sandy soils, and woodland edges around and within all of these habitats. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
When lizards are active in Wisconsin
Records of lizards in Wisconsin peak in July to August. They show when people record lizards, not how many there are (about month bars).
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
36 records of lizards in Wisconsin by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).
Rattlesnake sightings: call DNR 1-888-WDNRINFO (1-888-936-7463), or use the DNR Rare Species Observation Form / DNR Wildlife Switchboard ([email protected], 608-267-0866). Threatening wolves or wolf depredation: USDA-Wildlife Services (north 1-800-228-1368, south 1-800-433-0663). Spongy moth outside quarantined counties: 1-800-642-MOTH (6684). Other invasive species: DNR Report invasive species page. Feral pig sightings: DNR reporting form or USDA Wildlife Services (north 800-228-1368, south 800-433-0663). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
Sources
Wisconsin Animals. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Herps of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (2)
“Wisconsin's four lizard species share several traits.”
“Lizards have the shortest active season of any Wisconsin herptile, emerging from hibernation in late April or May and re-entering in early September.”
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