In this time between the beginnings of meteorological spring (March 1) and astronomical spring (March 20) we can smell the change of seasons.
As the snow melt begins to reveal the soil, we get our first whiffs of the earthy dirt scent. This smell comes from the compound geosmin (Greek for “earth smell”) produced by Streptomyces soil bacteria. We are extremely sensitive to the smell of geosmin and able to detect it better than sharks can detect blood! Geosmin attracts springtails to eat the bacteria, and in return the springtails disperse the Streptomyces spores that stick to their bodies as well as the spores that are pooped out. Taking a sniff of geosmin tunes into this chemical communication between bacteria and springtail that has endured for 450 million years.
There is also the pungent skunk smell. The scent was described by author and wildlife artist Ernest Thompson Seton as “essence of garlic, burning sulfur and sewer gas magnified a thousand times.” March is peak striped skunk breeding season. Skunks travel as far as two-and-a-half miles a night in search of a mate so car collisions are more common at this time of year. Also female skunks are spraying male skunks more frequently at this time of year. While females only mate with one male, males attempt to mate with every female on their territory. After mating, the female skunk will aggressively attack any subsequent suitors.
More subtly, red fox urine takes on a skunky smell (the fresher, the stronger) during their breeding season (Jan-March). Red foxes leave scent marks on strategic elevated locations like rocks and stumps to announce territorial boundaries and breeding potential to other foxes.
Even if the landscape doesn’t look like spring yet, your nose can tell you it’s coming!