May 22, 2003      Last Quarter Moon                                                                                                                

The Upside of Gardening with a Skunk A very adaptable mammal, the striped skunk is at home in woodlands, farmlands and suburban areas. Mainly nocturnal, it is placid by nature. Skunks can be the gardener's and farmer's friend. Using their long claws, they dig up and feast on the larvae of the troublesome Japanese beetle, and also eat mice, grasshoppers and other insects. Skunks belong to the weasel family and, therefore, are related to the mink and river otter, among others. Photo courtesy of arttoday.com. The striped skunk is occasionally seen by hikers at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, in Fox Chapel, Allegheny County. WPC established this reserve as an environmental education center in 1977. The public programs there are carried out by the Audubon Society. E-mail Today's WPC Daily to a Friend! Friend's e-mail address: Your Message: Get WPC Daily. Protecting Species' Habitat  View WPC Daily for the month of April. Vote for your favorite WPC Daily in April.

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