Are there alligators in Myrtle Beach?
As real estate agents in the Myrtle Beach and The Grand Strand area, we often receive routine questions from prospective homeowners about homes, neighborhoods, schools, weather, etc. However, this question from a lady in Europe took us by surprise.
Q: Are there lizards in Myrtle Beach?
A: Myrtle Beach is known worldwide for sun, sand, surf, fun, restaurants, nightlife, golf and entertainment, but not for its lizards.
Yes, Myrtle Beach has lizards. Mainly “parlor lizards”, but also a healthy population of green anoles and other small, harmless lizard species. There are no iguanas or large iguanadids like those found in southern Florida, the Caribbean, and other tropical areas.
Myrtle Beach has a moderate seasonal climate that supports a wide variety of plants and animals, including alligators.
Green anoles are very common in this area, so common that after a while you hardly notice them. Anoles are cold-blooded reptiles and can often be seen basking in the warm Myrtle Beach sun. They rarely grow larger than 5 to 6 inches and change color from brownish gray to bright lime green. They are really very pretty in the bright green state and the males are spectacular when they display themselves to the lizards by extending their vermilion throat. fan.
Most Myrtle Beach area locals consider it good luck to have an anole or two hanging around your deck or back door. They earn their welcome by consuming massive numbers of flies, gnats, insects, and other creepy crawlers.
They are actually quite harmless and a beneficial part of our environment. When we were kids, we used to catch them and let them bite our earlobes (no, it doesn’t hurt and they don’t break the skin because they have no teeth, just rough, scratchy lips). Then we’d walk in with live 5″ lizard earrings and “scare” our moms.
Although not as common as anoles, you may occasionally spot a blue-tailed skink in the shadows or a six-line racer on the sand while visiting Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach is also home to the largest lizard in North America, the American alligator. Caveat! DO NOT hang baby alligators by their earlobes.
Yes, someone actually asked this question. They were severely affected by Scoliodentosaurophobia (fear of lizards) and did not want to live in an area that had lizards. By the way, the only US state that doesn’t have lizards is Alaska.
Therefore, if you suffer from Scoliodentosaurophobia, Myrtle Beach might not be the best place to move to or invest in a vacation home. However, if you can tolerate a few anoles, a nasty lizard or two, and the occasional alligator, The Grand Strand is a wonderful place to live, retire, and invest.