Beware Of Pepe Lepew

The middle of March is peak mating time for skunks, which means their pungent scent will be hanging in the evening air more frequently.

“Males are seeking out females, and the males can be kind of rough. The females are getting even” by spraying the males after unwanted advances, says Laura Simon, a Connecticut-based wildlife expert.

While dogs are often targets for annoyed skunks, it’s rare for humans to be sprayed. Skunks are near-sighted and nervous, so dogs frighten them, says Simon. In a one-on-one encounter, it’s best to move slowly and talk softly to the skunk — Simon says talking seems to calm the creatures.

Also, look for warning signs that they are about to spray: They stamp their front feet, raise their tails and charge a little. If you don’t back off, they turn around and let loose.

The gestation period for skunks is about two months, so watch for the little ones and their protective moms by early summer. (From wire services)

* Plant daffodils instead: Is there a way to keep deer from eating tulips? asked one Critter Watcher. Nothing short of spreading chicken wire over the tops of them has worked in our yard. In fact, deer treat the tulip blooms as dessert, nipping each bloom off the stem and moving on.

Plant tulips as close to the house as possible and hope the deer are timid. Or, opt for daffodils and narcissus instead; deer and other wildlife find them distasteful and leave them alone.

* Birding on the tube: The first two installments of a 13-part series titled “Birdwatch with Don and Lillian Stokes” were aired in February on KSPS-7, but the series has been interrupted by the public station’s pledge drive.

The show resumes March 25 at 3 p.m. And don’t worry, all 11 segments will be aired consecutively thereafter on Saturdays at 3 p.m.

The half-hour episodes focus on identifying common backyard birds and attracting them with bird-friendly habitat.

* Squirrels in chimneys II: A Critter Watcher observed squirrels biting off the ends of pine branches and stuffing them into her chimney, and wondered why they were doing this. In a word: nesting.

And a bit of advice based on the recent experiences of two co-workers: Don’t let the squirrels do this. It’s expensive to get the nests cleaned out of the chimney, and even more expensive if your house burns down because you didn’t know they were there. Best to get a cap or screen installed on the chimney and let the squirrels hunt elsewhere for a place to raise their families.

* Backyard journal: Weather forecasters identified a recent night as prime time for the aurora borealis. Other than the usual constellations, there was no light show in the midnight sky. But the frogs emerged for their first choral performance of spring.