Reptiles Active at night

Mourning Gecko

Lepidodactylus lugubris

iNaturalist Wikipedia

Meet the world-traveling, all-female lizard known for its social chirps and chevron stripes. The Mourning Gecko is a master of adaptation, turning backyard porches into its own personal hunting ground.

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Quick Identification

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Size

8.5 to 10 cm (3.3 to 4 inches) in total length; weight approximately 2 to 4 grams

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Colors

Cream, tan, or light brown with distinctive dark brown chevron markings; pale cream to yellowish belly

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Key Features

Dark 'W' or chevron-shaped markings along the back
Vertical pupils with golden-brown irises and no eyelids
Toepads with expanded lamellae and small claws
Slightly flattened, smooth-scaled tail

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active at night

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Peak hours 8 PM - 2 AM

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Season Year-round

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Diet Omnivorous; they hunt small invertebrates like fruit flies, crickets, and spiders, but also consume floral nectar, pollen, and overripe fruit.

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Habitat Suburban gardens, coastal scrub, forest edges, and frequently on or inside human dwellings.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Mourning Gecko Live?

The Mourning Gecko is native to the vast coastal regions and island chains of the Indo-Pacific, including Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Due to their ability to stow away in cargo and their resilient eggs, they have been introduced to a massive global range that now includes Hawaii, Central and South America, the Galapagos Islands, and parts of Australia and the Seychelles. They are one of the most widely distributed lizard species in the world, thriving anywhere with a consistently warm, tropical, or subtropical climate.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

10 Countries

12.5M km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

PH Philippines ID Indonesia JP Japan US United States AU Australia MX Mexico CO Colombia EC Ecuador BR Brazil Seychelles

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

Mourning geckos are a fascinating biological anomaly, being a nearly all-female species that reproduces through parthenogenesis. This means females produce fertile eggs without the need for males, effectively creating clones of themselves. Because of this, they can colonize new habitats with incredible speed, as a single individual is enough to start a whole new population. Despite their solitary reproductive nature, they are highly social and are often found living in small, loose colonies where they establish a pecking order through physical displays and vocalizations.

These geckos are quite vocal, frequently emitting a series of rapid 'chik-chik-chik' sounds to communicate with others or defend their territory. While they are primarily nocturnal, they are bold around humans and are commonly seen hunting insects near outdoor light fixtures or inside houses. Their movement is jerky and fast, and they are excellent climbers capable of scale-shifting across smooth glass or ceilings with ease.

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Camera Tips

To capture high-quality footage of Mourning Geckos, your best bet is to target artificial light sources. Outdoor porch lights, security LEDs, or window sills where interior light spills out are natural 'supermarkets' for these geckos because they attract the moths and flies the lizards hunt. Position your camera about 12 to 24 inches away from these surfaces. If your camera has a macro mode or adjustable focus, ensure it is set for close-range work, as these small reptiles can easily appear as blurry smudges on a standard wide-angle lens.

While they are skilled hunters, Mourning Geckos are also suckers for sweets. You can lure them into a specific frame by placing a small dab of mashed banana, mango puree, or even a drop of honey on a fence post or tree trunk. This will often keep them stationary long enough for your camera to trigger and record a clear image. Because they are active after dark, ensure your camera’s infrared (IR) night vision is functioning correctly. If you find the IR flash is 'washing out' the gecko due to its light-colored skin, try angling the camera slightly to the side rather than head-on.

Look for communal egg-laying sites to find consistent activity. They often tuck their sticky, pea-sized eggs into narrow cracks, behind shutters, or under the bark of trees. Monitoring these areas with a time-lapse setting can capture interesting social interactions, such as the 'arch-back' display used when two females are determining dominance. Since these geckos are small and cold-blooded, traditional PIR sensors may struggle to detect them; use a 'motion zone' video trigger if your AI camera supports it for better results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mourning Geckos are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. They usually emerge shortly after sunset to hunt for insects around light sources and remain active until the early morning hours.

You can attract them by keeping outdoor lights on, which draws in the insects they eat. Providing 'sugar stations' with small amounts of mashed fruit or honey and ensuring there are plenty of hiding spots like dense shrubbery or stacked wood will also encourage them to stay.

They have a varied diet consisting of small insects like fruit flies, gnats, and tiny crickets. They are also unique among geckos for their love of sweets, frequently licking nectar from flowers or eating the juices of overripe fruits.

Yes, they are highly 'synanthropic,' meaning they thrive in human-made environments. In tropical and subtropical regions, they are one of the most common lizards found on the walls of houses, in garages, and in suburban gardens.

Mourning Geckos are smaller and have a smoother appearance with distinct dark 'W' or chevron markings on their back. Common House Geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus) are larger, have more prominent 'warts' or tubercles on their skin, and lack the specific chevron pattern.

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