Thursday, April 14, 2016
By Sara Scudier
Ohio certified volunteer naturalist
You may have seen a few on the road.
Hopefully, you have not come face to face (or rather face to tail) with this creature this spring.
Why are there more of them? It’s simple – love. Skunks are in the middle of mating season.
Skunks are well-known residents of Ohio, found in every county as well as throughout the U.S.
Striped skunks are highly adaptable and occupy a wide variety of habitats in Ohio, from rural areas to the suburbs.
The striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, is about the size of a house cat, with a large deep body, small head and short legs.
The hair is long and black, with a broad patch of white on its head and shoulders.
Two white lines forming a “V” from the shoulder area may extend part way or all the way to the base of the bushy tail.
Color variations include brown, white, cream, black and, occasionally, albino.
Males and females are colored alike, with males being slightly larger in size.
Each foot has five slightly webbed toes. The forefeet have long, curved claws designed for digging. The rear feet have shorter, straighter claws.
Skunks are beneficial to farmers and gardeners because they feed on large numbers of agricultural and garden pests.
They eat plant and animal matter in about equal amounts during fall and winter, but eat more animal matter during spring and summer when insects, their preferred food, are more available.
They prefer grasshoppers, white grubs, beetles, and crickets.
In autumn, skunks consume berries and other vegetative matter.
Field and house mice are regular and important items in the skunk diet, particularly in winter.
Skunks are nocturnal, so most encounters with humans are at dusk and early morning.
They do not hibernate, but may sleep for extended periods during the winter.
While they are typically solitary animals they are sometimes found in communal dens.
They are typically docile and prefer to avoid conflict.
Skunks typically live two to three years.
Due to their musk, they are not a preferred food item by most predators, but great horned owls, coyote, badger, fox and bobcats take them when other food resources are scarce.
This time of year, your car may be its next predator.
We all know how skunks defend themselves. Their scent glands produce a musk of butyl mercaptan, a strong, sulfur-smelling odor.
When threatened, the skunk gives warning by raising its tail with the fur fully extended and stamping its front feet.
If you don’t back away, the skunk quickly twists its body into a U-shape and sprays a mist or stream. They can spray with great accuracy up to 15 feet.
According to the University of Illinois, you can mix this solution to neutralize the spray: 1 quart 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution, º cup baking soda and 1 teaspoon liquid soap. Do not add water.
This solution can be used to wash skin, clothes, dogs, etc., that have been sprayed by skunks.
Due to the peroxide, the solution may lighten the fur of pets.
To avoid these helpful creatures, be cautious around brush piles or other hiding places in the evening and morning.
Keep your garbage lid on tight, be sure not to put too much pet food outside and watch around bird feeders.
For more on skunks in Ohio, go to: http://go.osu.edu/skunk.