When male anoles are feeling particularly aggressive, they “threaten” by opening and closing their large, red dewlap at will. This colorful display is typically reserved for defending territory against other male anoles or trying to entice females. Although anoles attempt to stay hidden most of the time, both from their prey and their predators, the males certainly take a lot of chances.

This gesture, by male anoles, is often accompanied by the lizard’s antics of bobbing up and down–sort of like doing push-ups. The lizard is only trying to look tough–it’s harmless and actually can be quite fun to watch, especially when you know how beneficial it is, dining on a variety of insects from your garden.