Skunks are highly adaptable, nocturnal mammals and opportunistic omnivores. Their diet is diverse, constantly shifting based on what is most readily available in their environment. They are most active from dusk till dawn, moving slowly to forage for a wide array of plant and animal matter. This flexible feeding strategy allows them to thrive in various habitats, from woodlands to suburban backyards.
Primary Natural Food Sources
The core of a skunk’s diet, especially during warmer months, is high-protein animal matter. Insects and their larvae make up a significant portion of what they consume, providing rich calories and nutrients. Skunks actively hunt for beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and earthworms, often providing natural pest control. They seek out subterranean insect larvae, such as beetle grubs, which they locate by scent and dig up from the soil. Skunks also prey on small vertebrates, including mice, shrews, and voles. They consume amphibians like frogs and salamanders, along with the eggs of ground-nesting birds.
Seasonal Plant-Based Foods
While animal matter provides the bulk of their protein, skunks supplement their diet with plant materials, which become more prominent in late summer and fall. This seasonal shift helps them consume carbohydrates necessary to build fat reserves for colder months. Since they do not climb trees, their plant menu consists of items accessible at ground level. This includes wild berries (such as blackberries and blueberries) and fallen fruits like apples and melons. Skunks also consume nuts, seeds, roots, and tubers.
Opportunistic Scavenging
When skunks establish territories near human habitation, they exploit easy, high-calorie food sources provided by people. This opportunistic scavenging makes them frequent visitors to urban and suburban yards during nightly foraging. Unsecured household garbage is a prime target; skunks readily tear open bags or tip over cans to access discarded food scraps. Outdoor pet food, particularly kibble left out overnight, is another common attractant. Skunks also take advantage of fallen birdseed beneath feeders, or raid compost piles where they find decaying plant matter and insects.
Nocturnal Foraging Methods
Skunks forage at night because they are slow-moving and have poor vision, making them vulnerable to predators in daylight. They locate their meals primarily by relying on a highly developed sense of smell. This keen olfactory ability allows them to detect food from a distance, including ripe fruit, carrion, and prey buried beneath the soil surface. Skunks use their strong forelimbs and long, non-retractable claws to dig for food. This behavior is often evidenced by small, shallow, cone-shaped holes found in lawns, resulting from the skunk smelling a grub or earthworm underground. They also use these claws to overturn rocks and roll logs to expose hidden insects.