When armadillos begin to forage in a yard, the resulting damage can appear suddenly and cause significant frustration for homeowners. These mammals are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are active under the cover of darkness, making direct intervention difficult. Their digging behavior, characterized by shallow, cone-shaped holes, is a byproduct of their survival instincts and can quickly ruin lawns, gardens, and flower beds. Stopping this destructive behavior requires a multi-faceted approach that targets the animal’s motivation, access, and presence.
Understanding Why Armadillos Dig
Armadillos are insectivores that rely on a keen sense of smell to locate food sources just beneath the soil surface. Their diet consists overwhelmingly of invertebrates, including grubs, earthworms, termites, and ants. Since over 90% of what they consume is animal matter, a yard rich in subsurface insects is a highly attractive feeding ground.
The digging action is necessary to access this food, as they root with their snouts and use powerful claws to excavate the earth. The resulting holes are usually no more than six inches deep and often resemble small, upturned divots scattered across the lawn. This necessity points to managing the food supply as a primary solution.
Soft, moist soil also encourages digging because it makes foraging easier and often brings invertebrates closer to the surface. An overwatered lawn can become a beacon for armadillos, especially during dry summer months, even if the insect population is low. In addition to foraging, armadillos dig larger, deeper burrows for shelter, which can be up to 15 feet long for resting and raising their young.
Modifying the Yard to Eliminate Attractants
The most effective way to deter armadillos involves making the yard inhospitable by removing their food source. Controlling the population of grubs and other subsurface insects reduces the incentive for the armadillo to visit and forage. This control can be achieved through both chemical and biological treatments tailored to the specific pests in the soil.
Chemical grub treatments, often containing active ingredients like imidacloprid or carbaryl, can be applied to the lawn to eliminate larvae. For a natural approach, homeowners can introduce beneficial nematodes or milky spore powder, which are biological controls that target and kill grubs without harming the environment. These treatments must be applied at the correct time of year, so consulting a local agricultural extension office is recommended.
Controlling soil moisture is another component of habitat modification, since armadillos are drawn to soft, damp earth. Reducing irrigation, especially during the evening when armadillos are most active, helps dry out the top layer of soil, making it more difficult to dig. Watering in the morning allows the sun to dry the ground throughout the day, creating a less appealing environment. Removing debris like brush piles and wood stacks also helps, as these areas provide insects with shelter and offer the armadillo protective cover while it forages.
Direct Physical Deterrence and Exclusion
Once the yard’s attractiveness has been reduced, physical barriers and sensory deterrents can be employed to prevent access. Exclusion fencing is effective, but it must be constructed correctly to account for the animal’s strong digging ability. The fence should be at least one foot tall above ground and extend a minimum of 12 to 18 inches into the soil.
For effectiveness, the buried portion of the fence should be bent outward at a 40-degree angle away from the protected area, creating an apron that discourages digging underneath. Using sturdy materials like galvanized wire mesh or hardware cloth with a small, one-inch mesh size ensures the barrier is durable. For smaller areas like newly planted flower beds, a temporary barrier of chicken wire or netting can be laid flat over the ground until the soil settles.
Repellents offer a less reliable, short-term solution, as many commercial and homemade concoctions are ineffective. Armadillos rely heavily on their sense of smell, so strong-smelling substances like castor oil or ammonia-soaked rags are sometimes placed near burrow entrances. A more modern method involves motion-activated sprinklers, which spray water when movement is detected, providing a harmless, startling deterrent that encourages the animal to flee.
Live Trapping and Professional Removal
When all other methods fail, the final option is live trapping. Armadillos are difficult to bait because they forage for live insects rather than consuming typical trap bait. Trapping success relies less on bait and more on strategic placement, often using existing structures or temporary funnels to guide the animal into the cage.
A large, sturdy live trap should be placed along known travel paths, such as fences, building foundations, or directly in front of an active burrow entrance. Temporary barriers, such as wooden boards or poultry wire, can be arranged in a V-shape to funnel the armadillo directly into the trap opening. While bait is not necessary, some trappers report limited success with items like spoiled fruit or mealworms placed inside the cage.
Before attempting any trapping, check local and state wildlife regulations, as laws regarding the capture and relocation of nuisance wildlife vary. In many jurisdictions, it is illegal to transport and release a live-captured animal elsewhere, requiring release on the same property or humane euthanasia. For persistent problems or deep burrows that threaten a foundation, contacting a licensed Wildlife Control Operator is often the safest and most compliant option.