Skunk Damage

Most people can recognize a skunk on sight. These little weasels are often sweet natured, but the powerful scent they leave behind when they’re scared usually strikes fear into most hearts. If you notice a strong odor coming from your yard, chances are that it’s a skunk.

Skunks aren’t just stinky, though. They can wreak all kinds of havoc on your house and home. To begin with, their burrowing habits can frequently cause problems with their human neighbors. Skunks often dig holes in lawns as they search for the insect grubs they like to eat. They’ve been known to disturb the garbage receptacles that most of us leave outside. Skunks can also burrow into porches or other foundation openings. They can disturb beehives, which can then leave you with a whole host of other problems. While they don’t climb fences, skunks will in fact kill poultry from time to time. If you keep chickens, you’ll want to make sure and protect them from their skunk predators. Skunks also like to eat those eggs. Last but definitely not least, skunks are known to damage crops of all kinds, but especially corn.

Skunks are also one of the primary carriers of rabies in the United States. In some areas, like the Midwest, skunks are the number one leading carrier of rabies. A rabid skunk can cause serious trouble, from acting aggressively towards you or your family, to possibly infecting any pets you might have. Rabies is not something to be taken lightly. If a skunk approaches you without any hesitating, be wary: that aggression might indicate that the skunk is carrying rabies.

So how can you tell if you have a skunk on your property? Most of the time, that strong odor will be a dead giveaway. Other signs to watch for: the three- to four-inch cone-shaped holes that skunks leave in lawns as they dig for food. You can also check for garden and lawn damage that occurs low down, at a skunk’s height, such as on the lower ears of corn stalks. This kind of damage doesn’t always mean that you have a skunk in residence, though. Sometimes, those skunks are just passing through. The best way to verify that you have a skunk problem is to trust your nose.

So what’s the next step? Fortunately, if you do have a skunk, you won’t be alone with the problem. The best way to deal with a skunk is to call in a trained professional.

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