Many require hollows usually found in old trees. Many goannas, skinks, dragon lizards and geckos spend most of their time on the ground or climb dead branches and trees to look for food and safe resting places. Reptiles play an important role in ecological processes at ground level, with lizards and snakes being very beneficial for pest control. Small lizards such as skinks feed on insects like ants, springtails, spiders, beetles, and termites, which they forage for in leaf litter, rocks and logs. In areas of remnant vegetation, lizards have been found to consume 1000 insects each day per hectare.
Larger dragons feed on worms, mice and larger insects like grasshoppers and beetles.
Snakes are especially important in controlling rats and mice, with a brown snake able to eat 12 mice per day. Most reptiles need long grass, rocks, dead trees and logs. In cooler areas, they hibernate during winter beneath fallen timber or other debris as shelter against frost and cold. About 50 species are 'tree frogs' which are commonly green or partly green. They spend a lot of time in moist ground litter or in trees.