The Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is often searched by homeowners who discover unexplained damage to their lawns. The question of whether armadillos prey on moles is a common confusion stemming from the visual evidence of yard disruption. While both animals dig, their relationship is not predator and prey. The destruction they cause results from entirely different feeding strategies, which understanding the armadillo’s true diet helps clarify.
What Armadillos Actually Eat
Armadillos are classified as insectivores and opportunistic omnivores. Approximately 90% of a Nine-banded Armadillo’s food intake is made up of invertebrates, including beetle larvae (grubs), earthworms, ants, and termites. They also consume scorpions, spiders, fruit, seeds, fungi, and carrion, though these items make up a much smaller percentage of their diet.
The armadillo’s unique feeding method involves using its highly developed sense of smell to locate prey beneath the soil surface. Once detected, the animal uses its powerful forelimbs and sharp claws to rapidly excavate the ground. This foraging activity results in numerous, characteristic shallow holes as the armadillo moves across a lawn or garden, actively rooting out soft-bodied invertebrates like grubs and earthworms.
The Relationship Between Armadillos and Moles
Armadillos do not routinely hunt or prey on adult moles, as their diet focuses on invertebrates rather than small mammals. The confusion arises because both species pursue similar food sources, such as grubs and earthworms, found in the upper layers of the soil.
The relationship is competitive, as both animals are seeking the same limited supply of subsurface invertebrates. Armadillos may occasionally disturb a mole’s tunnel system while foraging, which can lead to the collapse of the mole’s runways. This collateral damage is an accidental consequence of the armadillo’s digging for grubs, not an intentional attempt to capture the mole itself. The presence of both animals in a yard simply indicates a high concentration of their shared invertebrate food source.
Identifying Lawn Damage: Armadillo vs. Mole
The signs of armadillo and mole activity are distinctly different, despite the common confusion over lawn destruction. Armadillo damage is characterized by numerous, random, shallow, conical holes, typically measuring 1 to 3 inches deep and 3 to 5 inches wide. These holes result from the armadillo’s rooting behavior as it sniffs out and digs for individual insects, often looking like someone poked the lawn repeatedly with a tool.
In contrast, mole activity is identified by two primary signs that do not involve individual, deep holes. The first sign is the presence of raised ridges or runways, which are the subsurface tunnels moles create just below the grass line as they move and hunt. The second is the distinct, volcano-shaped or circular mound of soil, known as a molehill, which is pushed up to the surface when the mole excavates deeper tunnels. A homeowner finding many shallow, unconnected holes is likely dealing with an armadillo, whereas raised lines and circular mounds point toward a mole.