The nine-banded armadillo is known for its relentless digging. These creatures are primarily insectivores, and homeowners often complain about the damage they cause while foraging for food. Armadillos use their sensitive noses and sharp claws to locate and dig up invertebrates like grubs, insects, and worms, leaving numerous shallow, cone-shaped holes across lawns and gardens. They also establish burrows, which can undermine sidewalks, foundations, and other structures. The following methods focus on safe, natural, and non-lethal strategies to deter armadillos and protect your property.
Eliminating Primary Food Sources
Armadillos are drawn to a property by the readily available underground insects, which they can detect up to eight inches beneath the soil surface using their keen sense of smell. The most effective long-term strategy for deterrence is to make the lawn a less appealing place to search for a meal.
One powerful, natural method involves introducing beneficial nematodes to the soil. These microscopic roundworms are biological control agents that target and parasitize the larval stages of various lawn pests, such as white grubs, which are a major food source for armadillos. Applying nematodes across the lawn significantly reduces the armadillo’s primary motivation for digging without resorting to harsh chemical insecticides.
Adjusting the property’s watering schedule can also make the soil less attractive to foraging armadillos. They prefer to dig in soft, moist ground, which often harbors a higher density of invertebrates. Reducing the frequency of irrigation, especially in the late evening, allows the soil surface to dry out. This makes it harder for armadillos to dig and less hospitable for the insects they seek, forcing them to seek easier foraging grounds elsewhere.
Structural Barriers and Entry Prevention
Physical barriers offer the most immediate solution to exclude armadillos from specific areas. Since armadillos are proficient diggers, any exclusion fence must extend below the ground to prevent burrowing underneath it. A sturdy fence, such as galvanized or vinyl-coated chain link or hardware cloth, should be used.
For maximum effectiveness, the fence material should be buried at least 12 to 18 inches deep into the soil. It should also be bent outward at a 40-degree angle, or even a full 90-degree angle in an “L-footer” shape. This horizontal underground flange acts as a barrier that the armadillo encounters while digging down, preventing further progress into the protected area.
Structures like porches, decks, and sheds are common places for armadillos to establish burrows. To prevent this, the perimeter of these structures should be secured with heavy-gauge wire mesh or hardware cloth. The mesh should be extended down into the ground and outward, mirroring the L-footer design used for fences, ensuring no gaps for entry. Using heavy gravel or large rock mulch near foundations and under decks can also discourage digging, as the material’s density makes excavation difficult.
Natural Repellents and Scents
Armadillos rely heavily on their sense of smell to navigate and find food. This reliance makes them susceptible to strong, unpleasant odors that can be used as a localized, short-term deterrent. Natural ingredients with potent scents can be applied topically to areas where digging is a recurring issue.
Castor oil is a natural repellent that can be mixed with water and dish soap to create an emulsion. The resulting solution is sprayed onto the lawn or garden, coating the soil and subterranean insects, making them unpalatable to the armadillo. A mixture can be prepared using two parts castor oil to one part dish soap per gallon of water.
Other strong-smelling household items, such as cayenne pepper, garlic, and vinegar, are also used to deter armadillos. Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, a compound that irritates an armadillo’s sensitive nose and mouth. These ingredients can be sprinkled directly around fresh digging sites or mixed into a spray solution and applied to the affected area.
These natural scent-based deterrents are temporary and require consistent reapplication to remain effective. Their potency is diminished or washed away after rain or heavy irrigation, meaning they must be reapplied frequently to maintain the olfactory barrier. These applications are best used as a supplement to long-term food source reduction and structural barriers.