Skunks, primarily the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), are nocturnal mammals often drawn into residential areas in search of an easy meal. They are highly adaptable opportunistic omnivores, consuming a diverse range of plant and animal matter depending on availability. Their acute sense of smell guides them directly to potential food sources, both natural and human-provided, near dwellings. Understanding what specifically attracts them is the first step in keeping them away from your property.
Skunks’ Natural Diet and Foraging Behavior
In their native habitats, skunks rely on a protein-rich diet that shifts with the seasons. During the warmer months, insects form the largest part of their intake, often making up over 40% of their diet. They actively hunt and consume large quantities of grubs, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and insect larvae. This preference for subterranean insects, particularly the grubs of Japanese and June beetles, often leads skunks to dig small, conical holes in lawns while foraging at night.
Beyond insects, skunks are proficient hunters of small prey, including mice, voles, and other small rodents, alongside eggs from ground-nesting birds. The remainder of their wild diet consists of various plant materials, such as berries, roots, fungi, and nuts. This broad, flexible diet allows them to thrive in numerous environments, making the transition to scavenging human-related food sources seamless when the opportunity arises.
Primary Household Food Attractants
The strongest attractants in a yard are typically high-calorie, easily accessible foods inadvertently left out by homeowners. Unsecured household garbage acts as a major lure, particularly when it contains meat scraps, discarded dairy products, or other strongly scented food waste. The odor of these items, even in small quantities, is easily detected by a foraging skunk.
Accessible pet food, especially kibble and wet food left outside overnight, is a significant draw due to its high protein and fat content. For a skunk, an unattended pet bowl is a readily available, nutrient-dense meal requiring minimal effort. Bird feeders also contribute to the problem when seeds accumulate on the ground below, offering a convenient, concentrated food source.
If you have fruit trees or vegetable gardens, ripe, fallen fruit, such as apples, berries, and tomatoes, can attract skunks as they seek sugary plant matter. Poorly managed compost piles that include meat, bones, or dairy can also become a target. Even fresh chicken eggs, if a coop is not properly secured, are a delicacy skunks will actively seek out.
Securing Food Sources to Deter Skunks
Eliminating these readily available food sources is the most effective way to discourage skunk activity on a property. All garbage should be stored in durable cans with tight-fitting, secure lids, preferably made of metal or heavy-duty plastic that animals cannot easily tip over or chew through. It can be helpful to keep cans secured in a garage or shed until the morning of pickup to reduce nighttime access.
Pet owners should establish a routine of feeding animals indoors, or immediately bringing the food and water bowls inside as soon as a pet finishes eating. Never leave uneaten kibble or canned food outside from dusk until dawn, which is the skunk’s primary foraging time. For those who use bird feeders, trays or baffles should be used to catch spilled seed and minimize the amount of food that hits the ground.
If fruit trees are present, clean up fallen fruit daily rather than letting it ferment on the ground. Compost piles should be managed by avoiding the addition of meat, fish, or dairy products, which are the most potent attractants. If grubs are the primary issue, addressing the insect population in the lawn will remove the skunk’s natural incentive to dig.