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Black and White

© Mel. White

It's spring. Love is in bloom and the fragrance of segonku hovers over the landscape -- but hopefully not in our yards. While there's a lot of odors we don't mind having around, the scent of excited polecat is one that most of us would rather avoid.

"Segonku" is, of course, the North American skunk and if you live in a rural or suburban area, chances are there's several skunks living within 2-3 miles of your home. They're opportunist omnivores, meaning that they can live almost anywhere and eat almost anything that's slow enough to come within claw reach. They tend to be slow-moving animals, never in much of a hurry, and are generally poor climbers. They've got very bad eyesight, too, and can't see things more than 5 feet ahead of them. Their sense of smell, however, is very good.

These tough (but stinky) little survivalists are members of the weasel family (Mustelidae). Having skunks around is one of those 'good news-bad news' type mixed blessings. The good news is that they're active predators of many home and farm pests such as black widow spiders, mice, rats, moles, rotting fruit, carrion, aphids, grubs, beetles, scorpions, yellow jackets, grasshoppers, and cutworms. Up to 70% of their diet is made up of common insect pests. The bad news is, of course, that they eat bird eggs, they can be destructive to property, they can carry rabies, and they do tend to smell up the place when they're upset. Sinced they can spray their musk up to 15 feet away, it's a good idea not to upset the skunk if you don't have to.

Their spray ensures that they're protected from almost all predators except automobiles and great horned owls. They do fight fairly and usually give warning by fluffing their fur, shaking their tails, and stamping on the ground with their front feet. An angry skunk may also, growl, stand on its hind legs, turn its head and spit to scare the potential attacker. Its spray is used as a last resort and most predators know that when the tail lifts, it's time to run!

Keeping skunks where you want them

If you have skunks on your property, the responsible thing to do is manage them correctly. If they're not causing direct damage to your house or buildings, the best strategy is to watch them, enjoy them, and leave them alone. Trapping them isn't always a good solution, since a place that appealed to one skunk is likely to appeal to other skunks. You may find that with your big skunk gone, two little ones (or a mother and kits) move in.

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