Skunks are highly adaptable mammals that thrive in various environments by consuming a wide array of food sources. They are classified as opportunistic omnivores, meaning their diet includes both plant and animal material. They readily take advantage of whatever sustenance is most available in their immediate surroundings and the current season. This flexible approach allows them to survive successfully across diverse habitats, from wildlands to suburban neighborhoods. A skunk’s appetite is driven by its need for protein and calories, making their foraging habits a reflection of environmental availability.
The Primary Diet: Invertebrates and Small Prey
The core of a skunk’s natural diet is composed of animal matter, with invertebrates forming a significant portion of their caloric intake. Skunks consume large numbers of insects; up to 70% of their diet can consist of these small creatures during warmer months. They are particularly fond of insect larvae, which are a dense source of fat and protein.
Skunks actively seek out grubs, earthworms, beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets by using their keen sense of smell to locate them beneath the soil. This habit makes them natural pest controllers in gardens and lawns. They also consume other invertebrates, including snails, slugs, and spiders; notably, they can eat scorpions and black widow spiders without being affected by their venom.
Beyond insects, skunks hunt small vertebrates like mice, voles, shrews, and moles, which they pin down with their claws. They also consume reptile and bird eggs, small snakes, frogs, and lizards. Skunks are opportunistic and will prey on honeybees, relying on their thick fur for protection from stings. They also scavenge for carrion when they find it.
Plant-Based Consumption and Seasonal Shifts
While animal matter provides the bulk of their protein, skunks rely on vegetation to supplement their diet, especially as seasons change. The herbivorous part of their diet includes a variety of plant materials, such as roots, leaves, grasses, and fungi. Skunks are drawn to calorie-rich foods like nuts (walnuts and hickory nuts) and seeds.
Their consumption of plant foods increases significantly in late summer and autumn as they prepare for colder months. During this time, they consume berries like blackberries, blueberries, and wild grapes, along with fruits that have fallen from trees. This shift to high-calorie plant matter helps them build up fat reserves to sustain them during winter dormancy, when food is scarce.
Skunks do not truly hibernate, so they must occasionally emerge from their dens during warm spells to forage. In winter, when insects and small prey are difficult to find, the diet shifts toward available plant material, such as dormant roots, nuts, or seeds. This seasonal flexibility is a major factor in their survival.
Foraging Habits and Human Attractors
Skunks are primarily nocturnal, conducting their foraging and hunting activities during the night. They rely heavily on their excellent senses of smell and hearing to locate food, as their eyesight is relatively poor. This sensory reliance allows them to successfully track prey and food sources in the dark.
Their physical adaptation for foraging includes powerful forearms and long, non-retractable claws, which they use to dig for food. Skunks create small, cone-shaped holes, typically three to four inches in diameter, in lawns and soft soil while searching for grubs and earthworms. They also use these claws to rip open rotting logs and overturn rocks to access hidden insects.
The presence of skunks in residential areas is often a direct result of easily accessible food sources provided by humans. Unsecured garbage cans and open compost piles offer a consistent meal for the opportunistic skunk. Pet food left outdoors, especially overnight, is a strong attractor, as is fallen birdseed underneath feeders. By securing these food sources, homeowners can significantly reduce the appeal of their property to foraging skunks.