Lizards are some of the most common predators of spiders. The lizards that eat spiders include geckos, chameleons, anoles, and skinks.
Some people think of lizards as a good, natural way of controlling pests. These animals will eat almost any pest that might come into your home or garden, including roaches, beetles, ants, spiders, and other species.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the most common lizards that eat spiders and take a look at their feeding preferences.
List of Lizards that Eat Spiders
Let’s examine some lizards that eat spiders and their food preferences, as well as what types of spiders they eat.
1. Do Chameleons Eat Spiders?
Yes, chameleons will feed on spiders, especially smaller spiders such as baby spiders, and other spiders that they might find in their habitat.
Chameleons are mostly present in rainforests and even deserts. They are very well known for their climbing and camouflaging techniques, so it might be hard to spot them in the wild. They are also known for eating insects and spiders, so they might be a good way of controlling pests.
These lizards are well-known for having a preference for insects and bugs, as well as spiders. They are capable hunters, as they can camouflage themselves and blend in with the surroundings, which can leave their prey surprised and unprepared for the attack.
The chameleon will stalk its prey and then attack it with its long tongue when the spider is not prepared. Chameleons will eat almost any kind of spiders, but especially the ones that are present in their habitat.
Chameleons are so good at hunting bugs and insects that they are sometimes thought of as an excellent way of controlling pests naturally. Some people even like to own chameleons as they want to decrease insect and pest populations without having to spend extra money on preparations for getting rid of pests.
2. Do Geckos Eat Spiders?
Geckos will eat spiders, as well as many other animals that you might consider to be a pest, such as bugs, termites, ants, and flies.
Like chameleons, geckos are very carnivorous in nature. They like to hunt down all types of insects they can find, including flies, ants, and other termites. But they also have a preference for spiders – smaller spiders, in particular. They like to go after baby spiders whenever possible.
Geckos are very good at climbing because they have special pads on their legs that allow them to scale surfaces that not many other animals can. This gives them an advantage not only over their prey but also over their predators.
These animals are also not choosy eaters – they will eat anything from eggs to smaller animals, as well as insects such as flies and other animals they might find in their surroundings. This also includes smaller spiders that they can hunt using their superior senses.
Geckos are distributed widely and are found on every continent except for Antarctica. They are mostly found in warmer climates, as they prefer a slightly drier habitat. You might find them in southern states of the United States, such as Arizona, Texas, California, New Mexico, and several others.
3. Do Skinks Eat Spiders?
Skinks are excellent animals for pest control because they will eat almost any bug, insect, or spider found in their habitat.
Even though skinks are quite small in stature, they are capable of hunting animals in big numbers. They can be quite fast and unpredictable, making it tougher for the prey to escape the hunting efforts of the skink.
Skinks usually preside in bushes and other covered areas where they will find prey. Occasionally, they might wander outside and look for opportunities as they are very opportunistic animals.
Among the animals that a skink would eat are many different species of spiders, but it is thought that skinks prefer smaller and baby spiders to larger, adult spiders. This is because skinks are sometimes targeted by larger spiders such as brown recluses. After all, they are susceptible to their venom.
However, when a skink finds an empty spider nest with baby spiders, it will waste no time taking the chance. They’re very good at devouring other insects in their habitat as well, such as cockroaches, ants, grasshoppers, moths, and others. They’ll also eat snails, and sometimes even fruits and vegetables.
4. Do Anoles Eat Spiders?
Anoles, such as green anoles, will eat spiders, as well as many other animals it can find in its habitat, including crickets, flies, beetles, and others.
Anoles also like to feed on insects and bugs they can find in bushes. This animal will spend the majority of its time on bushes and in grasses where it will hunt animals like cockroaches, beetles, ants, spiders, and other creatures that populate these areas.
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Are Lizards in the Garden Good for Pest Control?
Lizards are a very good form of natural pest control, because they will populate your garden, help you get rid of pests, and they will not do any damage to your garden most of the time.
As a low-cost alternative to pesticides, many farmers and gardeners decide to let lizards in their gardens as they want to improve their pest control efforts. This can be a highly effective and budget method because lizards will remove pests for you for no cost.
As we’ve seen above, lizards will eat almost any type of insect and bug you might have in your garden – and many of these are also pests that you might want to remove.
But you will need to know how to attract lizards to your garden in the first place. Provide them shelter, water, and of course, enough sunlight, and lizards will be happy to stay in your garden as pest control.
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Conclusion
Lizards are some of the most effective species at eating spiders. Many of these lizards like to eat small spiders in particular. The lizards that eat spiders include geckos, chameleons, anoles, and skinks. They will also eat other insects and bugs, making them a good means of pest control in your garden or home.
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