5 lined Skink

These are amazingly fast little guys.  This one was running full steam and suddenly stopped and posed for me.  I took this in the Ocala National Forest.  The young ones have a beautiful cobalt blue tail so I think this is an adult female.  The males will tolerate females and young skinks in their territory but actively defend it from other adult males.  I remember catching these as a kid but those days are long gone.