California fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) have blue ventral markings, and sometimes bear the colloquial name “blue belly lizard.” Blue belly lizards use their blue markings in territorial and mating displays. The breeding biology of blue belly lizards is similar to that of most other Sceloporus species, though their reproductive timing varies slightly based on their location within their vast range.
Blue Belly Breeding Basics
Blue belly lizards mate from late March to June; those at lower elevation begin before those living in the mountains. A few weeks later, females begin depositing clutches of up to 17 eggs in small holes dug into the soil. While young females may deposit only a single clutch of eggs per season, older females may deposit three or four clutches per season. The eggs hatch after about two months of incubation, from July to September, depending on the soil’s temperatures. Blue belly lizards mature at about one year of age.
