Skunks will usually not spray unless they are severely frightened or agitated. In spring, skunks feed on mice, snakes and insect larvae. Later in the season, grasshoppers, crickets, earthworms and beetles are eaten. As insects become scarce in the fall, small mammals such as mice, shrews, moles and chipmunks may be utilized for food. Fruit such as apples, raspberries and blackberries may also make up a large portion of the fall diet.
Skunks also feed on corn and other planted grains.
In wooded habitats, skunks prey on the eggs and nestlings of ground nesting birds. They will also feed on frogs and crayfish taken from streams and ponds. This varied diet increases their chance of survival during periods of food scarcities. During the day, skunks sleep in their dens which are usually ground burrows located under stonewalls or in abandoned woodchuck holes. They prefer dens on sunny slopes.