Striped skunk

It is mostly nocturnal. It uses habitats including fields, woodland edges, farms, suburbs and mixed landscapes. It feeds on beetle grubs, insects, mice, eggs, fruit, carrion and other available foods.

Skunks forage slowly with the nose close to the ground, digging for grubs and insects. Before spraying they usually give escalating warnings such as foot-stamping, tail-raising or body postures.

Skunks dig for beetle larvae and other soil invertebrates, providing natural pest control while aerating small patches of soil.

Skunks eat beetle larvae, grasshoppers, mice, carrion and other foods that people often regard as pests. Their small digging pits turn over patches of soil while they hunt.

Spray is chemically expensive to replace, so the animal benefits by warning first and saving it for situations where escape fails.

Mating — usually February through April, earlier in the south and later farther north.
Gestation — about 59–77 days.
Kits — commonly 4–7 are born in a den in spring.
Dependency — kits follow the mother on foraging trips after several weeks and are largely independent by late summer.

• Keep dogs on a lead at night where skunks are active; most spraying incidents happen when a pet rushes too close.
• Secure rubbish and pet food.
• Check beneath sheds and porches before blocking den openings, especially during the period when young are dependent.
• Use tight wildlife-safe mesh rather than loose netting that can entangle an animal.

• A skunk active in daylight is automatically rabid. Daylight activity can be normal, particularly for a parent feeding young; neurological signs matter more than time of day.
• Skunks spray without warning. They usually give conspicuous warnings first and prefer to leave rather than spend their limited spray.
• Skunks are useless around homes. Their diet includes many lawn grubs, insects and small rodents.

• eastern-spotted-skunk