"February heralds skunk mating season, and our striped friends have romance on their minds. Over the next several weeks, skunks will be seeking mates, and this activity always results in an uptick in the amount of skunk spray in the air. Male skunks spray each other when they fight over females, and females spray males they don't want as mates."
"As they waddle through our yards, skunks voraciously consume slugs, snails, insects, grubs, rats and mice, along with fallen and rotting fruitand other things we prefer not to have in our vicinity. They provide a real service to us with their dining habits. If your yard is part of a skunk's regular territory, the number of garden-devouring pests will be significantly reduced, which is great news for us and for our garden plants."
"The other good news is that skunks don't actually want to spray you. Skunks generate their noxious spray in special glands in their rear ends, and the spray is their primary defense mechanism. These glands can only generate and hold a certain amount of spray, however, so the skunk must decide whether they want to use it on you or your dog or conserve it to be used against another predator, potentially in a more dire situation."
February marks skunk mating season across the Bay Area, increasing evening detections of skunk spray. Male skunks spray each other during fights over females, and females spray males they reject. Increased odor reflects greater activity, not higher skunk numbers. Skunks eat slugs, snails, insects, grubs, rats, mice, fallen and rotting fruit, reducing garden pests. Skunks produce spray in specialized rear glands as a primary defense. Glands hold limited amounts, so skunks often conserve spray rather than use it. Skunks have limited speed, digging claws, and cannot climb. Having skunks in yards can significantly reduce garden-devouring pests, benefiting plants.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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