Winter and fall seasons restrict the availability of food sources and during these cold months, a skunk will rely on any small prey they can get. Common Nesting Areas. This is easily fixed with a little fencing. Skunks can also pose a danger to your vegetable garden or fruit trees. Skunks can be very nice to have around because they dig up and feed on the larvae of cutworms, Japanese beetles, hornworms, and other crop-destroying insect life. This makes them a nuisance to beekeepers, but also integral to keeping wasp populations low. Over winter, multiple females (as many as 12) huddle together; males often den alone. Why Caution For Skunks In The Winter? With their gentle nature, however, skunks can spend the winter in groups of a dozen or more. These are inviting, especially in winter. As a last resort, skunks will eat small mammals, including mice, rats, rabbits, and chicken eggs. [Related Article: What Do Skunks Eat?] Grubs are most plentiful in the colder months of the year, as they lay dormant underground or chew on roots in preparation for their ⦠This makes surviving easier when there is heat to share. During the fall and winter, when food is scarce, skunks will scavenge for fruit, nuts, bird seed, and pet food. Skunks do prepare for winter in similar ways as hibernating animals though. What do skunks eat in the winter? 17. Skunks build dens in almost the same areas, but do not climb into trees. A two foot fence will keep skunks out. If you let pets run free on your property, you may want to be proactive about not having skunks ⦠However, skunks are not only partial to insects; they will eat leaves, buds, grasses, grains, garbage, any fruit or berries within reach, and even small game. Skunks are not true hibernators in the winter, but do den up for extended periods of time. What do Skunks eat? A skunk can tear up a garden or lawn looking for insect larvae. During their long winter naps, skunks can sense a rise a temperature. Fencing is also a good idea for protecting pets. However, they remain generally inactive and feed rarely, going through a dormant stage. Skunks donât necessarily hibernate, but they are considered dormant during the winter months, meaning that you likely wonât see these creatures in your yard during the coldest months of the year. Often, the same winter den is repeatedly used. Skunks are nocturnal, solitary creatures that donât travel long distances. During cold snaps and harsh weather, they stay in their dens. Skunks do not have these drastic drops in heart rate or respiration. So, like possums, armadillos and moles, skunks are diggers. Your very first question, like many others, is why in the world do you have to be cautious about skunks if they are mostly dormant in the winter? Theyâre unaffected by doses of venom 100 times higher than ⦠Skunks have been known to eat poisonous snakes such as rattlesnakes. frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> What skunks eat in nature is thought to be nuts and berries, here is what wiki says about skunks"Skunks are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material and changing their diets as the seasons change. Skunks eat wasps and honeybees are immune to their sting. Skunks will often prefer an animal to eat over plants, but depending on the time of year, they may have to rely on foraging to find food. Grubs are the staple of the skunk diet. That is a very good question and it is understandable as to why you would ask it. They eat large amounts so that during the long naps they do take they can survive on their fat stores. 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