The striped skunk is a boldly colored nocturnal animal whose defense is a very strong smelling spray. It has glands which hold about a tablespoon of musky smelling methyl mercaptan. This is enough to allow the skunk to spray five or six times. It stamps its feet, growls, hisses, turns its back, and raises its tail straight up when it is about to spray. It can spray up to 15 feet and the smell can carry a mile. If the spray gets in the eyes, it causes pain.

Skunk tracks show five toes on the front foot and five on the hind foot. The front tracks usually show claw marks farther ahead of the toe marks than the rear prints do. This is because the skunk has longer claws on the front feet to use in digging up roots and insects.

They forage by digging. Sometimes, you will find these small holes dug out by skunks. They will also get into garbage cans.

Skunks can be discouraged from visiting by scattering a few mothballs around on the ground. They are repelled by the smell of camphor.

Three to eight young are born blind and are weaned at six to seven weeks.

Skunks are omnivorous, eating mice, eggs, insects, grubs, fruit, carrion, and shrews.

Great horned owls are predators that commonly eat skunks.

Skunks find shelter under buildings or in ground burrows taken over from other animals. Skunks are active year-round.

I once lived in a house that had a family of skunks denning underneath. The smell got to be pretty strong after a while, but it was still tolerable. Eventually, they moved out on their own.