![](https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool?posttype=photo&canonicalUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos.opusgroup.us%2Fcontent%2Fyoung-five-lined-skink%2F&content=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos.opusgroup.us%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F001%2F189%2F200515-COVID-Spring-May-2020-040%2Flarge.1593987202.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fphotos.opusgroup.us%2Fcontent%2Fyoung-five-lined-skink%2F" title="Young Five-Lined Skink"%3EYoung Five-Lined Skink%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI+will+call+this+one+Plestiodon+fasciatus+simply+because+my+gut+says+faciatus+rather+than+P.+laticeps+or+P.+inexpectatus.+I+did+not+count+scales.+The+young+have+a+bright+blue+tail+and+they+are+often+colloquially+referred+to+as+%22scorpions%22+and+thought+to+be+venomous.+They+are+not%2C+although+they+can+give+one+a+nice+strong+nip.+++%3C/p%3E){kind=link}
Young Five-Lined Skink
I will call this one Plestiodon fasciatus simply because my gut says faciatus rather than P. laticeps or P. inexpectatus. I did not count scales. The young have a bright blue tail and they are often colloquially referred to as "scorpions" and thought to be venomous. They are not, although they can give one a nice strong nip.