On our field trips we have encounter plenty of ground skinks. Scincella lateralis can be found on the eastern half of the US.  You can find them from New Jersey to Florida, West to eastern Kansas and eastern Texas. Their colors range from anywhere of golden brown to darkish red. They have a dark dorsal
lateral strip running down they're back. They're sizes range from 3-5 3/4 inches long. You can find this animal in most woodland areas under the leaf litter or around streams and ponds. Their diets consist of smalls insects like spiders and ants. However, snakes and birds prey upon the ground skink. They make lateral movements when they are running.

The ground skinks lay about 2-18 eggs in soil or logs. They lay their eggs during the spring and the summer . Their eggs hatch in one to two months after being hatch and are they are direct developers.

Similar species of the ground skinks are the two-lined salamanders.

On our field trips we found it hard and easy to see and catch these animals. And the many that we did try to catch detached from their tails. We were successful in catching some of them.