One of the most reflexively feared animals in a Montclair yard — almost entirely because of a defence that’s rarely actually used.

New Jersey’s only skunk species. Get past the reputation, and skunks turn out to be quiet, largely harmless neighbours that do real work controlling grubs and other lawn pests.

What they look like

Striped skunks are about the size of a house cat, roughly 20 to 30 inches long including the tail, and weighing 4 to 10 pounds — males run somewhat larger than females. They’re mostly black with a white blaze on the forehead and a broad white stripe down the back that typically splits into two along the sides, though the exact pattern varies from animal to animal. A bushy tail, small triangular head, and short black ears round out an unmistakable look.

Family life

Skunks don’t form lasting pair bonds. Males mate with as many females as they can during the brief breeding window rather than settling with one partner, and take no part in raising young afterward.

Mating takes place in late winter, from mid-February through March — which is when most people notice skunks. Males compete with each other for breeding rights and may spray during these confrontations, a common source of that distinctive winter smell in the neighbourhood.

After a gestation of roughly two months, females give birth to an average litter of five or six kits in a den, typically in May, and raise them entirely alone. Kits are born blind and deaf and stay in the den nursing for about six weeks. They can already produce musk by around four weeks old, well before their eyes fully open.

Young skunks continue following their mother after weaning and don’t fully disperse from her territory until close to a year after birth. Females with young will often den together over winter, while males typically den alone.

Daily habits

Skunks are primarily nocturnal, most active around dawn and dusk, though it’s not unusual to see one foraging during the day in a resource-rich suburban setting. That alone isn’t a sign of illness.

They’re omnivores, feeding heavily on insects and grubs — making them genuinely useful for lawn health — along with small rodents, bird eggs, berries, and carrion.

A skunk digging small, cone-shaped holes in a lawn overnight is grub-hunting, not damaging the turf out of malice.

Skunks don’t truly hibernate, but they den up for extended stretches in the coldest part of winter, especially females, while males are more likely to emerge to forage during milder spells.

Living alongside skunks

• Give a skunk space and time. If one is startled nearby, back away slowly and calmly rather than running or making sudden movements. A skunk that isn’t cornered will almost always choose to retreat rather than spray.
• Secure trash, compost, and pet food. These are the biggest draws for skunks looking to den or forage near a house.
• Check under sheds, decks, and porches before sealing gaps. These are common den sites — confirm no skunk, especially a nursing female, is present before closing off an entry point. Or simply let them keep using the space.
• Keep lawn damage in perspective. A skunk digging small holes overnight is providing free pest control. Treating the underlying grub problem addresses the root cause better than trying to exclude the skunk.
• Appreciate them from a distance. A skunk seen occasionally in the yard, minding its own business, is one of the lower-conflict wild neighbours around.

A skunk’s reputation is almost entirely built on a defence it would rather not use — in practice, one of the more easygoing, low-maintenance animals sharing space with us in town.