Pestgon FactSheet
“ If they fly they die…if they crawl they fall”

SKUNKS (Mephitis mephitis)

Description:

The striped skunk is the common skunk species found in our urban and suburban developments of Southern California. The stripe skunk is a house-cat sized animal, weighing about 6 to 10 pounds. It has long black fur with two variable broad white stripes down the back. The head is triangular and the tail is large end bushy. Their strong skunky musk odor often precedes their visual presence.

Biology:
Skunks are nocturnal creatures, preferring to hunt and scavenge at night. They are generally beneficial creatures but their odor makes them obnoxious. Around retail/commercial buildings skunks are scavengers, so they seek out the garbage and dumpster areas for food. They also feed on insects, rodents, bird eggs and pet food left out for house pets. Pestgon, Inc., has found them in burrows, culverts, woodpiles and building openings where they have created a den for shelter and to raise their young.

Economic Impact:
Skunks become a problem when their activities conflict with human interests. Many people consider skunks odorous pests and so obnoxious that they should be avoided at any cost. Their presence is never tolerated or accepted by occupants of a building. No one wants a confrontation with a skunk. Pestgon, Inc., has been called where skunks in search of grubs and insects have done severe damage to flower beds, landscape plantings and sod, resulting in significant economic loss. They are also primary carriers of rabies in southern California. According surveys done by the Department of Agriculture, 65% of all skunks are rabies infected. In addition, they are carriers and transmitters of a half a dozen other serious diseases. So the presence of skunks on a retail/commercial property is economically damaging.

Management Methods:
Pestgon, Inc. is very knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with nuisance wildlife problems, around commercial, office and industrial buildings. As with most such pests, prevention and exclusion are the first line of defense. Eliminating the food sources by means of sanitation procedures and rodent control is paramount to a good wildlife management program. Trapping, by means of humane live traps, and removal of the animals from the property, is an effective method often used by Pestgon, Inc.

Additional Links:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74118.html