Striped Skunk
A mostly nocturnal digger that advertises powerful chemical defense with bold black-and-white fur and patient warnings.
Artwork inspired by John Bloom
Striped skunks eat insects, grubs, rodents, eggs, carrion, fruit, and other seasonal foods. Small conical lawn holes often mark nighttime digging for beetle larvae rather than random destruction.
A threatened skunk may stamp, raise the tail, turn its rear toward danger, or briefly handstand first. Giving it a quiet escape route is far more effective than approaching or shouting. Stop, back away slowly, and keep dogs from rushing forward.
- Defense
- Scent spray
- Activity
- Mostly nocturnal
- Diet
- Flexible omnivore
Quick guide
- Warning
- Tail up + foot stamping
- Sign
- Small cone-shaped lawn holes
Confirm Striped Skunk in habitat
- Shape and movement
- Begin with black-and-white coat when identifying Striped Skunk.
- Second sign
- Look for bushy tail together with small cone-shaped lawn holes before accepting the identification.
- Habitat agreement
- Mixed rural and urban habitat across North America; year-round; males travel more widely during late-winter breeding season.
- Give it control
- Stop, back away slowly, and keep dogs from rushing forward.
Good to know
The strong pattern is warning coloration: predators that have experienced the spray often learn to avoid the silhouette.
Notice these
- Black-and-white coat
- Bushy tail
- Long digging claws
- Five-toed tracks