They feed more on grubs, and they would find grubs in plentiful during the winter months. If they live in dens or holes, they will close the entrance to their dens with grasses and leaves. Sometimes, they may even prefer to spend the winters under a pile of leaves and logs. ![]() They would try finding a place that is extremely hard to find. Skunks are picky when it comes to the best spots to spend during winters. ![]() This is one of the reasons why skunks eat excess food and gain weight so that they have enough fat that they can burn during the winter. They will lose around 25 to 30 percent of their body weight during these months. The state of torpor or lethargic sleep will extend between December and March in the northern hemisphere. The skunks will spend the winter months in a state of lethargic sleep, moving out only when they are in need of food. The male skunks too may group together and spend the winter in a group, but the tendency may not be universal. ![]() You may also find a communal den with a skunk and her babies. It can be seen female skunks grouping themselves and living in the abandoned dens during the winter.Īround 10 to 12 female skunks will group together and move to the dens to spend the winter in a group. Skunks ideally live in groups, and when the winter approaches, they would have even a larger group to keep them warm. Those who have lived longer than I have told me that all of their lives their mamas and grandmas have handed down the old wives' tale that spring is on the way when the distinct smell of skunk permeates the night air because it means the animals are on the prowl, which means in six or so weeks, the weather will be warm enough for mama skunk to venture out with her babies.Skunks tend to go to the warm dens in winter. Aren't you glad you know that now? Old Wives’ Tales About Skunks Predicts Spring Weather If a lady skunk isn't impressed by the male skunk who approaches her for some cuddle time, she will release an odor from her anal glands to tell him to get lost. How Do Female Skunks Reject Male Skunks?Īnother reason that we might smell a skunk in the night air is less morbid but still gross when you think about where the smell comes from and that it is now living in your nostrils. Unfortunate little lovers, put into a trance by pheromones of potential mates, don't always take into account that wandering the middle of vehicle-traveled roads in the darkest hours of the night might not be the smartest decision and the smell their little bodies let out as their time on earth comes to an end is what blankets our senses. Why Are There So Many Dead Skunks on the Road? During that time, they’ll wander away from wherever they’ve found warmth during the most brutal of the winter months nudged awake by the scent of love, and will venture out during nighttime hours to find a mate to make babies with. Skunks sleep away most of the summer and tend to keep to themselves except for when the mating season begins in late winter and early spring. ![]() Woodpecker and Miss Imposter Ladybug may have been pulled out of their warm and cozy spots by the sunshine, but even I know about the tale that a skunk on the road in the middle of the night following a long and cold winter is a sure sign that spring is on the way. This morning on my way into work I saw, with my very own two eyes, right on the road in front of me, a skunk! I’ve never been more excited to see a skunk in all of my life. Do Asian Ladybugs Hibernate?Īs for the imposter ladybug? She too may have just been nudged out of the spot where she’d been “ overwintering” by the warmth of the sunshine because I’ve not seen her since. Woodpecker was of the variety that stick around during the winter months ( who knew?) and that he probably was just seeking out some sunshine as I’d done. Do Woodpeckers Hibernate in the Winter?ĭeflating my balloon was my husband who educated me on our particular woodpecker with his bright red head hair, telling me that Mr. Woodpecker peck away, I noticed an imposter ladybug ( that’s what my son calls them, they’re really Asian beetles) crawling up the window in search of sunlight, and again, I smiled. Looking out my window, I discovered that our pesky woodpecker had found his way back home and although I’m not crazy about what he does to our trees, I found myself smiling. The very next day, I was standing at my kitchen sink washing dishes when I heard a persistent knocking sound.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |