They venture out of their dens for short distances when temperatures are near the freezing mark and snow conditions are favorable. As many as 10 skunks have been found together in some winter dens, but many live alone. Foods About equal amounts of plant and animal foods are eaten during fall and winter. Insects are their preferred food, and make up the bulk of their diet when most available in spring and summer. Bees, grasshoppers, and beetles are common fare.
Skunks also eat mice, young rabbits, ground squirrels, voles, birds, and bird eggs.
Plant foods include corn, black cherries, nightshades, and ground-cherries. Removal of these pests is beneficial to humans. However, the holes can be unsightly on golf courses and residential lawns. Yards that are fertilized and watered throughout the summer tend to have more grubs and provide good feeding areas for skunks. Using an approved pesticide that kills the grubs usually solves the problem by sending the skunks somewhere else to look for food.