While their distinctive black-and-white coats are easily identifiable, skunks are rarely welcomed as backyard friends. Instead, they are often dismissed as garden pests.
Their reputation for being stinky creatures far outweighs their striking appearance, an annoyance only amplified by the mess they make digging up lawns in search of grubs.
How to tell if a skunk’s been in your backyard
Even if you don’t spot a skunk in broad daylight, they leave clear signs behind. Brandon Runyon, entomologist at Swat Pest Management, says, “You may see signs of digging, knocked-over trash cans, and even smell that a skunk’s been about.”
According to Angelika Zaber, lawn care specialist and gardening expert at Online Turf, skunks typically dig 3-4-inch holes in lawns as they scratch around for grubs. And she also warns that the animals’ unpleasant sulfur-like spray can penetrate clothing or furniture that’s left outside.
If you keep livestock in your backyard, keep an eye on your coops. Zaber adds that skunks will target poultry and eat their eggs — a crime you can detect by an eggshell opened at one end, with the edges crushed inward.
What do skunks eat?
Runyon explains that these black-and-white creatures are omnivores, obtaining energy and nutrients from both plant and animal matter. This leaves a whole host of opportunities for skunks in your backyard.
Apart from devouring fallen nuts and fruit in your yard, he says they’ll also knock over trash cans to find food and will wreak havoc on your lawn, digging up Japanese beetles, beetle grubs and earthworms.
What’s more, if you leave out cat and dog food for stray animals or your pets, you’re inviting skunks to tuck in.
Where do skunks shelter?
While the skunks are causing havoc in your yard, rooting for food, they may also be looking for a suitable den. “This could be under your deck, your shed, your porch, or any other place where they can burrow, such as thick brush, wood piles and leaf piles,” explains Runyon.
To deter them, Zaber recommends fixing any spaces that they can call home.
Skunk deterrents
There are natural repellents you can use at home to deter skunks, although Runyon says they’re not long-term fixes. Instead, both experts recommend the following measures.
1. Stop skunks from entering
Place a big defender around your fence line to keep skunks from digging into your yard.
2. Cover up your trash
Keep the lids on your trash cans and secure them with locks if practical. If your trash can is knocked over, the contents won’t spill out if the lid is securely in place.
3. Reduce potential den sites
Tidy up your backyard and remove any wood piles and leaf litter where skunks can make a den. Then, secure any other potential hideouts by closing up gaps beneath sheds and houses.
4. Protect your lawn
Newly laid lawns are particularly attractive to skunks, as they are often well-watered and have plenty of grubs. To reduce both skunk and grub activity, apply a grub treatment and water your lawn correctly.
5. Keep pet food inside
Avoid leaving pet food outside for any length of time, and if you can feed your animals inside your house.
Friend or foe?
While you might prefer to banish skunks from your yard, Back to the Wild, a wildlife sanctuary in Ohio, recognizes what skunks have to offer.
In an Instagram post, the sanctuary shares, “These nocturnal neighbors help control insect and rodent populations, and they actually help protect lawns, gardens and native plant life.
"They’re shy, peaceful animals that would much rather avoid you than confront you. So if you spot a skunk wandering through your yard, don’t panic! You may have a tiny pest-control specialist working the night shift.”
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