I can always be pretty sure of spotting Western Fence Lizards (also called Blue-bellies) on my outdoor adventures during the spring, usually perched atop sun-warmed rocks or  old logs. Sometimes it takes sharp eyes to spot their camouflage. Still, for all the many times I’ve seen and photographed these little guys, I never knew until today that they have the amazing ability to kill the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. That’s all the more reason to rejoice in the presence of Fence Lizards wherever you might be out hiking and exploring areas that might harbor ticks!

Studies have shown that cases of Lyme disease are rarer in areas where the lizards are found. When ticks carrying Lyme disease feed on these lizards’ blood (which they commonly do, especially around their ears), a protein in the lizard’s blood kills the bacterium in the tick that causes Lyme disease. The infection inside the ticks’ gut is therefore cleared and the tick no longer carries Lyme disease^[11] — iNaturalist