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Common Five-lined Skink

Plestiodon fasciatus

Reptile · family Scincidae · order Squamata

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Common Five-lined Skink
Photo: Patrick Coin, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
33 states[3]
Typical length
8 in[4]

The Common Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) is a reptile in the skink family[5]. NatureServe ranks it as Secure worldwide, and it is native to 33 US states and territories[2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives this skink a global rank of G5 and a national rank of N5 for the United States, and both mean Secure[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. It is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1]. NatureServe describes the population as large and probably fairly stable or slowly declining[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] 100,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Where Common Five-lined Skink lives

NatureServe lists the skink as native in many eastern and central states, including Texas, Florida, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin[3]. Massachusetts is the one state where NatureServe ranks it as extirpated or possibly extirpated, which means gone or possibly gone[10]. NatureServe state ranks differ a lot from place to place, and they are shown in the table on this page[11]. Online observation records are highest for Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Texas and Louisiana, but that reflects where people look and report[12].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: native, state rank S3WIVermont: native, state rank S1VTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: native, state rank S3MNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S3MINew York: native, state rank S3NYMassachusetts: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank SUSDIowa: native, state rank S4IAIndiana: native, state rank S4INOhio: native, state rank SNROHPennsylvania: native, state rank S4PANew Jersey: native, state rank SUNJConnecticut: native, state rank S2CTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: native, state rank S1NEMissouri: native, state rank S5MOKentucky: native, state rank S5KYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5WVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank S5MDDelaware: native, state rank S5DEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: native, state rank S5KSArkansas: native, state rank S5ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5NCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S4DCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5MSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5TXFlorida: native, state rank S4FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[11].
Show state ranks (34 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
ArkansasS5Secure
ConnecticutS2Imperiled
DelawareS5Secure
District of ColumbiaS4Apparently Secure
FloridaS4Apparently Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS4Apparently Secure
IowaS4Apparently Secure
KansasS5Secure
KentuckyS5Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
MarylandS5Secure
MassachusettsSXPresumed Extirpated
MichiganS3Vulnerable
MinnesotaS3Vulnerable
MississippiS5Secure
MissouriS5Secure
NebraskaS1Critically Imperiled
New JerseySUUnrankable
New YorkS3Vulnerable
North CarolinaS5Secure
OhioSNRNot Ranked
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
PennsylvaniaS4Apparently Secure
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaSUUnrankable
TennesseeS5Secure
TexasS5Secure
VermontS1Critically Imperiled
VirginiaS5Secure
West VirginiaS5Secure
WisconsinS3Vulnerable

Habitat

NatureServe records hardwood forest, hardwood woodland and riparian areas (land beside water) as habitat types[13]. The skink does well in wooded places that are humid and drain well, with plenty of rocks, logs, stumps and leaf litter to hide in[14]. It spends most of its time on the ground, but it also climbs trees[14]. Females place their eggs in or beneath decaying logs, stumps or humus, or tuck them under rocks[14].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[13]

Size and diet

This skink eats insects, spiders and snails, and sometimes small lizards[15]. NatureServe records a typical length of 21 cm (8 in)[4]. Mating happens in spring, and females lay 4 to 14 eggs at a time, mostly in May and June[16]. The female stays with the eggs while they develop, and they hatch in 4 to 7 weeks[16]. Young skinks become sexually mature in their second year[16].

Trait Value
Typical length[4] 21 cm (8 in)
Food habits[17] Invertivore
Migration[18] non-migrant

When to look for it

The skink is diurnal, which means active in the daytime, and NatureServe records it as hibernating or aestivating[19]. NatureServe says northern skinks are out between April and October, and southern ones stay active longer[20]. It does not migrate, though populations can differ[18]. Online observation records peak in April, May and August, which shows when people report it and not how many animals there are[21].

January: 226 recordsJanFebruary: 482 recordsFebMarch: 2,747 recordsMarApril: 8,124 recordsAprMay: 7,641 recordsMayJune: 4,157 recordsJunJuly: 4,341 recordsJulAugust: 4,557 recordsAugSeptember: 2,601 recordsSepOctober: 713 recordsOctNovember: 215 recordsNovDecember: 165 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[21].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January226
February482
March2,747
April8,124
May7,641
June4,157
July4,341
August4,557
September2,601
October713
November215
December165

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Common Five-lined Skink as present in 5 park units[22]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Texas, Louisiana[12]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Common Five-lined Skink endangered?
No. NatureServe ranks it as Secure (G5) worldwide[2], and it is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1].
Where does the Common Five-lined Skink live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 33 US states and territories, mostly in the east and center of the country[3]. It is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated in Massachusetts[10].
What does the Common Five-lined Skink eat?
It eats insects, spiders and snails, and sometimes small lizards[15]. NatureServe classes adults as invertivores, meaning they eat animals without backbones[17].
How big is the Common Five-lined Skink?
NatureServe records a typical length of 21 cm (8 in)[4].
When can you see the Common Five-lined Skink?
Northern skinks are out between April and October, and southern ones stay active longer[20]. Observation records peak in April, May and August[21].

Facts and sources

  1. Common Five-lined Skink is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Common Five-lined Skink: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Common Five-lined Skink as native in 33 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 21 cm (8 in). NatureServe Explorer
  5. Common Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) is a reptile in the family Scincidae, order Squamata. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe notes on trend for Common Five-lined Skink. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 100,000 to >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe ranks Common Five-lined Skink as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Massachusetts. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe state ranks for Common Five-lined Skink (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  12. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Common Five-lined Skink: Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Texas, Louisiana. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  13. Habitat types NatureServe records for Common Five-lined Skink: Forest - hardwood, Woodland - hardwood, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on habitat for Common Five-lined Skink. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Common Five-lined Skink. NatureServe Explorer
  16. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Common Five-lined Skink. NatureServe Explorer
  17. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe migration category for Common Five-lined Skink: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  19. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Hibernates/aestivates, Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  20. NatureServe notes on phenology for Common Five-lined Skink. NatureServe Explorer
  21. GBIF observation records of Common Five-lined Skink in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  22. NPSpecies park lists recording Common Five-lined Skink as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Patrick Coin, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.