Buzz
Image: Beebatch/Getty ImagesWhile skunks may appear somewhat adorable, having them in your yard is far from ideal. These creatures can cause significant damage by digging up your lawn or garden. Additionally, their infamous odor and potential to carry diseases make it essential to keep them away.
We consulted several experts to identify the key mistakes that might be drawing skunks to our yards and how to avoid them.
1. Excessive Food Waste in Your Compost Bin
“Skunks are opportunistic omnivores and prone to scavenging,” says Thomas Peters, Serenbe’s Director of Landscape and Horticulture. “An unbalanced compost pile containing ripe food scraps will be a magnet to skunks and other scavengers.”
2. You're Offering Ideal Shelter for Skunks
Your yard might unintentionally provide the perfect hiding spots for skunks, notes Meg Pearson, a training manager at Critter Control. “The primary need for nesting is concealment,” she explains. “Skunks avoid humans and predators, seeking warmth and safety to give birth and raise their young. Common nesting areas include wood piles, decks, crawlspaces, and sheds.”
3. You're Leaving Pet Food Outside
Pet food left outdoors can become an easy meal for skunks. “Outdoor feeding attracts skunks, possums, and raccoons over time,” warns Peters. “To avoid this, only provide the amount of food your pet can consume in one sitting.”
4. You're Not Securing Your Trash Bins
Skunks, much like raccoons, won’t hesitate to dig through your trash bin in search of food, particularly if it’s easily accessible. “Unsecured or open trash bins are an open invitation to unwanted visitors,” advises Peters. “Using a can with a tightly fitted lid is the best solution.”
5. Bird Seed Is Scattered Around Your Feeder
While skunks primarily consume insects like grasshoppers, bees, beetles, larvae, and crickets, they won’t pass up other available food sources, explains Pearson. In addition to compost, pet food, and garbage, these opportunistic feeders are also drawn to bird seed.
“Skunks will gladly eat any bird seed they come across, particularly seeds that fall from a bird feeder in your yard,” Pearson notes. “They may also raid your garden if it’s left unprotected.”
Tips to Prevent Skunks from Invading Your Yard
When feeding pets outdoors, provide only the amount they can finish in one meal to avoid leftovers that might attract skunks. Ensure your trash bins are tightly sealed with secure lids. Peters also recommends “balancing a compost pile with brown materials like leaves or cardboard if it contains too much food waste.”
Matthew Morrow, Director of Horticulture at NYC Parks, notes that skunks are drawn to gardens and suggests that “maintaining cleanliness and installing fencing are effective ways to keep them away.”
On the other hand, Sunny Corrao, Wildlife Unit Engagement Public Coordinator at NYC Parks, points out that skunks can have some benefits. “Spotting wildlife in your yard indicates a thriving ecosystem,” says Corrao. “Skunks can help with pest control, as their diet mainly consists of ground-dwelling insects and invertebrates during the growing season.”
