Skunks are found throughout North America in both the United States and Canada. They are so prevalent that they have many names for many peoples. We call them skunks but the people before us revered them as a strong, virial warrior race of animals. Their spray is one of the greatest weapons an ancient human could imagine. Skunks are also signified by their clear white stripes. Even if they are brown or pale grey they always have sharp white lateral stripes. Skunks are good diggers but bad climbers. They can scale a short tree but prefer to burrow and live in hollow logs and tree limbs. They will also burrow under human-made structures for protection. Skunks tend to keep to a half-mile radius of exploration, never going too far from their den or their main food sources. Skunks tend to eat more meat and protein during the summer and spring but then eat a combination of about fifty percent root vegetables and plants to insects and small animals. One of their main prey in the winter is wild mice and the European house mouse who may be to blame for the large rise in skunk activity since their arrival. Skunks are most fond of summer insects like grubs and will dig up your entire lawn just to find the delicious little morsels. If you see overturned earth and conical holes in the ground then you have skunks.
Are skunks in the city? If there is garbage, mice and grubs in a place then skunks will be there to eat them. There is no denying that. If you have skunks on your property then it is likely a problem you need to resolve like better storing your garbage or treating your lawn for excessive insects. There is a lot you can do to prevent them from coming to your property but once they are there getting rid of them is a nightmare. Start early and you will be able to prevent them from wanting to be on your property, at least before mating season.
During mating season male skunks will travel, every day more than five miles in search of a mate. They will be highly agitated and highly likely to spray anyone who they perceive as a threat. This is the most active time for skunks and when most people realize they have them on their property. Mating season for skunks starts around late February. Older females with give birth in early May. New females born just last year are more likely to mate later in the year in June. However, the mating season in totality last for almost half the year and can result in skunk coming to your property for no other reason than to mate or hide their babies under your shed or gazebo. If you find skunks spraying each other on your property stay away, that is how they fight for a mate, the females will also spray a male they do not want to mate with. Call Skunk Control for humane removal.