It has shiny black fur with two white stripes down its back. Striped skunks have varying amounts of white on the head, back and tail. Striped skunks' musk has a characteristic pungent odor. These shy, secretive animals discharge their scent only when disturbed or harassed. They are the least popular of all wild animals, yet they are beneficial because nearly half of their diet is insects, with the remaining consisting of 20 percent fruit and 20 percent mice.
Diets vary depending on a skunk's location and the time of year.
Skunks eat the eggs of ground-nesting birds, biting off one end, licking out the contents and leaving the shells more or less together in the nest. Spotted skunks do not crush the egg shells as much as striped skunks do. Biology and Habits Skunks are nocturnal and, while they do not hibernate, they may be inactive for extended periods during winter. Skunks live in rocky crevasses or in underground dens that may be renovated woodchuck or badger burrows. In urban and suburban areas, skunks take refuge beneath buildings and in crawl spaces under porches and houses.