Is there anything I can put on the lawn to make the skunks stop digging? We have tried Grub-X to get rid of the grubs that the skunks like and they still come and dig? Any suggestions? Thanks!

There are skunks in Utopia? So do they smell like Roses or like skunks there?

Though you are approaching the problem at the right angle, we need to plot you a new solution for specific pests in the lawn that Skunks like the most.

Japanese beetles may be the culprit. However having no idea what region of the world Utopia is in, it may be some other favorite critter that the Skunks are after.

Fall is the fattening up season; skunks are in a hurry to eat as much as possible to make it through the long lean winter months. If your weather has been unseasonably favorable to say Japanese Beetles, it is very possible that you have eggs in your lawn that are popping out new beetle larvae (grubs if you will) week after week.

So what you need is a pesticide directed at Japanese beetles (adult, larvae and egg) to rid yourself of the main course that the skunks like. Unfortunately that is going to require chemicals that you do not what to mess with yourself. Call an exterminator, have them come out and dig in your lawn and see for themselves what exactly is in your lawn (is it beetles, larvae and do you have a lot of eggs left over).

Skunks themselves have litters (more than one young) tend to burrow or find "nests" that are enclosed (like under a house, or in drain pipes). Skunks are semi-social; families will come together for nightly hunts. They are territorial when it comes to other species like raccoon. Trapping and relocating them is not too helpful since they are more than willing and able to "find home" from long distances away (25+ miles) Further in today’s world there is less and less natural land and the problem you have will only be moved to another location, causing micro ecological stress in the area as the population has to find its new level. Live trapping and moving is not really going to work. Trapping and killing may be the only alternative left to you.

If there is construction of undeveloped natural habitats with in a 5 mile radius of you, skunks may be moving in from those areas. Around here we are the last line of natural habitat (by the river) and with all of the recent building we have an exodus of animals moving through our property. The local Skunk population has sky rocketed this year, along with Opossum, Squirrel and Feral Cat. Due to the increase of numbers of each species, we have suffered the slings and arrows of starving animals looking for food.

Thus it is highly possible that though you have killed the grubs, the skunks are digging in search of food, maybe even accepting less attractive critters as a food source - maybe even coming up empty but desperate for food digging in search of a meal.

Two options are left. Either accept this for the term it lasts, if it is over population they will starve to death as nature finds her level – Or hire a professional exterminator to come out and deal directly with the skunks – Traps and humane killing of the skunks themselves – or have all the bugs in your lawn killed – which will lead to lawn issues since insects and worms make for a healthy lawn.

There are "deterrents" on the market (who knows if they actually work). A couple of things that MIGHT work in keeping them from enjoying your lawn as dinner are sprinkling cayenne pepper over the lawn area that they tend to go to (they won't like the taste of that) or putting moth balls around (they don't like the smell). I'd try the pepper before the moth balls because they are poisonous to other small animals you may have hanging out (and I think you have a stray cat or two in the yard?).

Good luck - - it's almost winter time, so they'll be hiding soon, if that's any consolation!
~Lyds

Thanks to both of you...BTW, Utopia is located in the mid-western part of the U.S!!!

We tried trapping and re-locating, but the skunks were angry and let off their smell, not pleasant to the person who gets the transporting job, the car smelled for months. My dad did trap and kill one , but felt too bad about it to do it again. We have this problem every fall and spring. I'll tell my dad about the beetles and try the pepper to see if it works. Thanks again.