The nine-banded armadillo, the only species found in North America, is recognized by its distinctive bony armor and specialized digging claws. These animals are generally solitary and primarily nocturnal or crepuscular, meaning they are most active around dusk and dawn. Their foraging behavior, which involves rooting through soil for food, creates familiar shallow holes, typically three to five inches wide, across lawns and gardens. This persistent excavation can uproot plants, disturb turf, and undermine concrete foundations. Securing a yard against this damage requires a strategic approach addressing the animal’s primary motivations for entry.
Eliminating Subsurface Food Sources
Armadillos are insectivores, and their presence is driven by a dense, accessible food supply beneath the soil surface. Their diet consists mainly of invertebrates like earthworms, beetles, and insect larvae, commonly known as grubs. Controlling these subsurface populations is a highly effective, long-term method for making the yard an unappealing foraging ground.
One targeted strategy involves using biological controls rather than broad-spectrum chemicals. Introducing milky spore powder, which targets Japanese beetle grubs, or applying beneficial nematodes, microscopic roundworms that parasitize soil-dwelling pests, can significantly reduce the armadillo’s preferred food source. These treatments infect and kill the larvae, reducing the overall grub population over time.
Armadillos are also attracted to loose and moist soil, as these conditions are ideal for insect activity and make digging easier. Over-irrigating a lawn creates this environment, especially when animals seek moisture during dry periods. Adjusting watering schedules to maintain a drier soil profile discourages insect populations and increases the difficulty of excavation.
The removal of other potential food sources on the ground’s surface also contributes to deterrence. Fallen fruit, pet food left outdoors, and open compost piles attract the insects armadillos consume. Maintaining a clean yard environment reduces the concentration of attractants and signals to the armadillo that resources are scarce.
Constructing Physical Exclusion Barriers
Since armadillos are determined burrowers, physical barriers must address both height and subterranean depth to prevent entry effectively. A standard fence is insufficient, as the animals can quickly dig underneath or climb over low obstacles. The most reliable barrier uses heavy-gauge wire mesh or hardware cloth, materials that resist rust and degradation.
The exclusion barrier must be buried deep into the ground, with a minimum depth of 10 to 12 inches recommended to deter persistent digging. For maximum effectiveness, the buried mesh should be bent outward at a 45-degree angle away from the protected area. This outward-facing flange acts as a physical deterrent when the armadillo begins to dig, causing it to encounter the unexpected horizontal barrier.
The above-ground portion of the fence should extend at least 24 inches high and be constructed with a sturdy frame to prevent pushing through or climbing over. Armadillos often seek shelter beneath structures like porches, sheds, and decks, sometimes creating burrows that destabilize foundations. Sealing all gaps around these structures with the same heavy-gauge wire mesh denies them access to sheltered den sites.
Employing Sensory Repellents
Sensory repellents offer an immediate, though temporary, solution by making the yard offensive to the armadillo’s highly developed sense of smell. These methods use strong odors or tastes to discourage foraging in specific areas. However, these repellents require consistent reapplication, especially after rain, and are supplemental to the more permanent strategies of food control and physical exclusion.
Scent-based deterrents include commercially available granular or liquid products containing capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat. When applied to the soil, capsaicin irritates the armadillo’s sensitive nose and mouth during foraging, discouraging digging in that spot. Other strong-smelling agents, such as castor oil or predator urine scents, are also deployed to confuse or alarm the animal.
Taste-based products, like those containing capsaicin, work by coating the grubs and insects in the soil, making the food unpalatable. This strategy attempts to condition the armadillo to associate the area with an unpleasant experience. Application must be thorough to ensure the deterrent penetrates the soil deeply enough to coat the primary food sources.
Motion-activated devices, such as sprinklers, use a sudden burst of water to repel the animal upon entry. They tap into the armadillo’s skittish nature, startling it away from the protected area. These devices are best used to guard specific entry points or vulnerable garden beds, but their effectiveness is limited by coverage area and the animal’s potential to habituate to the stimulus.