Skunks are one animal almost everyone knows by sight. And thanks to their potent spray, you don't always have to even see a skunk to know one is nearby. 

But skunks are more than just stink and stripes, so there's probably a lot you don't know about them, including about their well-known defense mechanism. 

Read on to deepen your knowledge of skunks.

They spray only as a last resort

A skunk's potent spray is a pretty effective defense mechanism, but it's not their first choice when it comes to scaring away predators and other potential dangers. They take a much less fragrant option first, then resort to unleashing the stink only if all else fails. To start, a skunk will stomp its feet, raise its tail or click its teeth to warn potential threats to retreat, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports. If that doesn't work, they will charge at the threat, stopping just short. If that still is not enough to send the threat scampering away, they turn around and let rip with the stinky spray. They can accurately hit their target from about 10 feet away, but the spray can be carried as far as 20 feet if wind conditions are right.

One reason why they aren't very quick to opt for their most effective defense mechanism is that it takes awhile to restock the supply after it's gone. They can spray as many as six times before the stinky secretion is depleted, but once it's gone, it takes between eight and 10 days to be replenished, the Iowa DNR reports. 

Skunks aren't born with the ability to use their spray to protect themselves, but they are able to so when they are as young as eight days old, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo. That's about two weeks before they are even able to open their eyes!

They don't all have stripes

Skunks are easy to identify from their stark coloring: black with two thick white stripes running along their backs and tails. It's just striped skunks that have stripes, though. There are other skunk species with different fur patterns. In addition to striped skunks, there are also spotted skunks and hog-nosed skunks. All three species have black and white fur, but the patterns are different. Spotted skunks have four broken white stripes on their bodies, giving them the appearance of having white spots, the U.S. Forest Service reports. The hog-nosed skunk has just one white stripe, but it is very broad and often covers the animals' entire backs. 

Among striped skunks, the white stripes can vary considerably, the Smithsonian National Zoo reports. Some have thick white stripes that cover almost their entire backs, while others have much more thin stripes.

No matter how thick or how thin they are, those bold stripes serve a purpose. While many animals rely on their coloring to help camouflage them in their environment, skunks use theirs as a warning. Their black fur might help them blend in at night, when they are typically most active, but those white stripes are attention-getting. The coloration is easy to recognize — and remember — so once an animal is sprayed, they will likely remember to give skunks a wide berth when encountering them in the future, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History reports.

They thrive in many different habitats

Skunks can live just about anywhere. They need a good source of water, so they are typically seen within 1 miles or 2 miles of a permanent water sources, and they to prefer wooded areas, but you're also likely to see them in agricultural fields and even suburban and urban neighborhoods.

Skunks live in dens, but they aren't too choosy when it comes to finding a spot for one. They often take over dens from other animals, such as foxes, groundhogs and rabbits, but they will also create a cozy home under a porch or deck or in a hollowed-out tree, the Iowa DNR reports. Sometimes they will even share a den with another creature as long as they aren't rearing their babies, called kits. 

Kits are typically born in May or early June. A typical litter will have between four and eight kits, which the mothers care for on their own. The babies stay in their dens for about two months and then start taking short trips out to hunt with their mother. They will usually venture off to establish home territories of their own in the fall. 

They don't have many natural predators

It's probably not hard to figure out why skunks aren't preyed on by many animals. That noxious odor is a pretty strong deterrent for many carnivores, but they aren't totally without natural predators. Skunks are mainly preyed on by owls, eagles and other raptors, and there's a good reason for this. Raptors don't have a good sense of smell, so the off-putting odor isn't such a turnoff for them, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Land-based animals don't completely avoid skunks, but it's not a first choice for many. Top predators like coyotes will usually only eat skunks when food is source and nothing else is available.

Skunks can live about seven years in the wild, but young skunks have a high mortality rate, with many not surviving more than a year, the National Zoo reports. They are susceptible to diseases such as rabies and distemper, and they are also often hit by cars. One reason for this is because they are slow, only reaching speeds of 10 mph, and do not react as quickly as other animals do when cars approach them on roadways.

They aren't picky eaters

Only the least picky eaters will choose a skunk for a meal, and the list of not-so-picky eaters in the animal kingdom would include skunks as well. Skunks are omnivores, so they don't limit themselves to only plant or animal matter. Their main food sources are insects, berries, nuts and some plant matter, but they are considered opportunistic eaters and will eat what is readily available, the Iowa DNR reports. 

Their diet tends to change with the seasons. In the warmer months, they eat a variety of insects and arthropods, the Smithsonian National Zoo reports. As temperatures drop, they switch to hunting rodents and other small mammals as well as reptiles, amphibians, fish and eggs. They will also feast on grain such as corn.

They even eat bees! They have been known to dig into the nests of ground-nesting bees to find a meal and even prey on beehives. In fact, in some areas, skunks are considered a major predator of bees, Treehugger reports. They are immune to their venom, so eating them poses no risks to them. In addition to adult bees, they will dig up bee larvae as well.