skunk

Jul 30 15:00 UTC 1995

Last night, our dog, Petey, got all excited and got us up.  He was going nuts
and barking at something in the dark outside our bedroom window.  After
putting Petey in temporary jail, we turned the light on and there was a small
skunk (See note at end of this item) digging in the ground in an area covered
with periwinkle and bushes.  The skunk was digging hard, bringing up white
stuff and eating it.  We could not figure out what it was.  Every so often,
the skunk would scratch itself violently, like it had fleas.  This scratching
on occasion got quite violent, resembling some kind of spasm.  We had plenty
of light and the skunk was not bothered by it.  We guessed it was either
rotted wood, roots, or some kind of bulb.  

This morning, we found a destroyed nest of yellow-jacket bees.  Almost all
of the "paper" nest was gone, and a few lonely bees were walking around
assessing the damage.  Boy, the bees must be good tasting to take that kind
of punishment.  The skunk was getting stung and we guessed that the spasms
were stings on the snout, mouth, etc.

note:  This skunk is the second one we have seen with markings totally 
       different than the standard variety.  It was really pretty.  It had
       very glossy black fur and did not have the standard white stripes.
       It had a thin white line down it's side and the line was not straight.
       Instead, it was a continuation of graceful curves and it was, maybe
       one-half inch wide.  Other than that it was all black.

       Anyone ever see a skunk like this?

response 2 of 24:

Jul 30 22:07 UTC 1995

Ok, I was not aware of the variety - I thought it was some sort of
sub-species.  Thanks.

response 4 of 24:

Jul 30 22:35 UTC 1995

Well, I am not sure what these are  - they are the insects commonly referred
to as "sweat bees."  They sting  but I don't think they seek flowers. 
Commonly you see them going into fruit, especially damaged fruit.  About the
size of a honey-bee.  These things usually have a paper nest in a dry place
underground.  They commonaly are seen flying in a very distinct flight path
to a hole about 1/2" across in the ground.  I don't believe there is a
honeycomb in these nests.  

These guys have bodies like bees, not wasps or hornets!

Do I get any reduction in the lashes?

response 6 of 24:

Jul 31 11:29 UTC 1995

Wow!  Most interesting.  I wonder if having the light on made it eaiser for
the bees to find their target?  Bees seem to be out only in the daylight and
I understand that they navigate by the sun.  I wonder if skunks and such can
raid their nests with less pain in the dark?

response 8 of 24:

Aug 1 02:19 UTC 1995

#5:  Rane, after your note, I went out and smelled the paper cell pieces which
     were left.  I think there was a faint, barely detectable, smell of honey.
     The cells quite small, about 1/2 the "diameter" of honeycomb cells.  The
     entire nest was about the size of a softball.

#6:  Klaus - Wow!  I never thought I may be contributing to the skunk's 
     flinching & twitching by providing light for the bees!  

#7:  Moonwolf - My wife came up with some info that there is a lot of variety
     in skunk's markings.  I never new that even though I saw one like this
     before.  I just assumed it was another variety.  Thanks.  

By the way, the skunk never let off a whiff (Rane, would that be a sulfoxy
compound?)

response 10 of 24:

Aug 1 07:26 UTC 1995

The skunk odorant is primarily isobutyl mercaptan. Lots of animals
dig out bee nests for the honey. The best known is the bear (like,
Pooh...).

response 12 of 24:

Aug 1 22:02 UTC 1995

Just didn't want to get involved, huh? I hope the women got their dogs
out of there, so the skunk could deal with its problem in a little
peace. Well, the consequences would have washed off, and you'd have
been a hero.

response 14 of 24:

Aug 2 08:06 UTC 1995

My brother was a Boy Scout camp nature counselor and one summer he
caught and "fixed" a skunk at camp, and kept it as a pet. He smelled
of skunk when he came home weeks later.... Skunks, incidentally, make
quite acceptable house pets. They act somewhat like cats: they will
curl up on your lap and purr, and will use a litter box. My personal
experience otherwise has only been to catch one in a live trap in our
back yard. I took it out into the country and released it (without
mishap).

response 16 of 24:

Aug 2 21:24 UTC 1995

I forgot to mention that my brother brought the skunk home with him, and
we kept it for several years. Well, my brother only smelled "lightly"
of skunk, and one also has to consider that campers at Boy Scout camps
don't wash much...Actually, skunks smell more like cats - until they
squirt. They are themselves very fastidious, and always washing
themselves (again, like a cat). The skunk will not spray you if it
cannot see you. When I caught a skunk, I put a cover over the trap,
and was able to transport it without problems. For cleaning off "skunk",
the "old hunters tale" was that tomato juice was good (for their dogs).
I just saw a more recent, and apparently more effective deodorant, which
contained hydrogen peroxide. I just noticed that the tomato juice
treatment is repeated in _Mammals of the Great Lakes Region_, by
Allen Kurta. If I can find the formulation that is purported to be
better I will post it.

response 18 of 24:

Aug 3 15:09 UTC 1995

I had a pet skunk. He grew extremely large. He was very sweet, but sorta
stinky. 

response 20 of 24:

Aug 3 19:45 UTC 1995

Neat!  My wife tells me that well designed live traps are designd so that
a skunk can not raise its tail.  If it can't do that, it won't squirt.  it
even makes sense.  next time I encounter a skunk with its head caught in
a cup, I'll be a little braver.

response 22 of 24:

Aug 4 16:57 UTC 1995

Mine was descented. Still smelled musky.

response 24 of 24:

Jul 26 14:10 UTC 1996

Could that have been a juvenile?  I don't know for a fact but have heard
that markings change as skunks mature.