Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is in the Skunks and Stink-badgers family (Mephitidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 36,351 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Striped Skunk: observations by month (U.S.)
About Striped Skunk
The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is a skunk of the genus Mephitis that is native to southern Canada, the United States and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on account of its wide range and ability to adapt to human-modified environments.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Striped Skunk by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 10,701 | June | May–Apr |
| Texas | 6,552 | February | Jan–Dec |
| New York | 1,598 | September | Feb–Nov |
| Ohio | 1,273 | July | Feb–Oct |
| Arkansas | 1,173 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Massachusetts | 1,062 | September | Feb–Oct |
| Oregon | 1,035 | September | Feb–Dec |
| Michigan | 964 | July | Mar–Oct |
| Arizona | 788 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Illinois | 783 | August | Feb–Nov |
| Pennsylvania | 776 | July | Feb–Nov |
| New Mexico | 733 | October | Sep–Aug |
| Vermont | 699 | March | Feb–Nov |
| Tennessee | 628 | June | Apr–Oct |
| Virginia | 624 | July | Feb–Oct |
| North Carolina | 497 | September | May–Mar |
| New Jersey | 421 | August | Feb–Nov |
| Colorado | 414 | July | Feb–Oct |
| Oklahoma | 362 | May | Feb–Dec |
| Connecticut | 355 | June | Mar–Oct |
| Indiana | 325 | August | May–Dec |
| Missouri | 310 | July | Apr–Nov |
| Alabama | 282 | January | Jan–Feb |
| Minnesota | 271 | September | Feb–Oct |
| Kentucky | 264 | June | Feb–Oct |
| Maine | 264 | July | Jun–Oct |
| Utah | 261 | July | Mar–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 247 | July | Jun–Oct |
| Wisconsin | 241 | June | May–Oct |
| Washington | 238 | June | Mar–Oct |
| Maryland | 234 | June | Feb–Nov |
| Nebraska | 221 | May | Feb–Nov |
| Idaho | 210 | July | Mar–Sep |
| Kansas | 208 | May | Feb–Oct |
| Montana | 159 | June | Mar–Oct |
| West Virginia | 140 | June | Jun–Sep |
| Louisiana | 130 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Florida | 123 | March | Oct–Jun |
| Rhode Island | 117 | August | May–Sep |
| Mississippi | 108 | June | May–Apr |
| Iowa | 100 | June | Jan–Oct |
| South Carolina | 98 | July | Jun–Oct |
| Georgia | 92 | August | May–Mar |
| Wyoming | 66 | June | May–Jul |
| Delaware | 61 | May | Jan–Sep |
| Nevada | 56 | September | Apr–Nov |
| South Dakota | 54 | April | Mar–Jun |
| North Dakota | 32 | May | Apr–Jul |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Photography tips
- Keep a legal and safe distance: 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other large animals in national parks.
- Dawn and dusk are peak activity times for most mammals.
- Use your car as a blind on wildlife drives.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Striped Skunk?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from May to April.
Where is Striped Skunk most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, New York.