Armadillos are armored, insectivorous mammals known for nocturnal foraging. Their search for food and shelter often brings them into conflict with homeowners. Armadillos possess a highly developed sense of smell, which they use to locate prey up to six inches beneath the soil. This constant probing leaves behind small, conical holes that damage lawns and landscaping. Many people seeking a humane solution try to find a strong scent that armadillos will naturally avoid.
Common Scents Used to Repel Armadillos
A variety of highly pungent household and commercial substances are commonly cited as armadillo deterrents. One of the most frequently mentioned is naphthalene, the main ingredient in mothballs, which is thought to overwhelm the armadillo’s sensitive olfactory system. However, mothballs are largely ineffective and introduce toxic chemicals into the soil and environment. Similarly, strong-smelling household liquids like ammonia or vinegar are sometimes recommended, applied by soaking rags near burrow entrances or foraging paths.
More targeted commercial repellents often rely on ingredients that create an unpleasant taste or odor on the food source itself. Products containing concentrated capsaicin or strong essential oils, such as garlic or cinnamon, are used. A common active ingredient is castor oil, which is designed to coat soil invertebrates, making them unpalatable to the foraging animal. These granular or liquid applications must be reapplied frequently, often after rainfall, because the active compounds quickly dissipate from the soil surface.
Why Scent-Based Repellents Often Fail
While armadillos have a keen sense of smell, their powerful motivation to find food often overrides their discomfort with an unpleasant odor. They are driven by an instinctual need to consume the grubs, earthworms, and beetles that make up the majority of their diet. An armadillo facing a choice between a mild, repulsive smell and starvation will typically choose to tolerate the smell. Their superior sense of touch and hearing are also employed during foraging, acting as secondary cues that confirm the presence of prey beneath the soil.
Armadillos quickly habituate to consistent, non-threatening stimuli like a static scent. If the smell is not associated with an immediate, negative consequence, they learn to ignore it. Maintaining a high enough concentration of any repellent to cover a large yard effectively is nearly impossible, especially since the required strength of the odor is often intolerable to the homeowner. Studies suggest that armadillos prioritize location over olfactory cues when seeking a reward, meaning the location of food is a greater draw than a repellent smell is a deterrent.
Deterring Armadillos Through Source Removal
The most effective and sustainable long-term strategy shifts focus from repelling the animal to eliminating its primary attractant. Removing the insect population in the lawn is the surest way to encourage them to forage elsewhere. Applying specific insecticides or beneficial nematodes to the turf significantly reduces the population of lawn grubs and other soil-dwelling invertebrates. Reducing the amount of moisture in the soil through less frequent watering also makes the environment less hospitable for the insects that armadillos seek.
Physical barriers serve as a necessary complement to this source removal approach. Installing a fence that extends at least 12 to 18 inches below ground, with the bottom bent outward, prevents the armadillo from simply digging underneath the perimeter. By removing the food source and establishing a robust physical obstacle, the property ceases to provide the sustenance and easy access that draw armadillos. This two-pronged approach addresses the core biological needs that drive the animal’s unwanted digging behavior.