Armadillos in the Garden: Digging Deep into the Problem

HWCS Expert Team

For homeowners in our southern service areas (Louisiana and increasingly into Kentucky/Indiana), the Nine-Banded Armadillo is a unique nuisance. Unlike other pests that seek shelter in your attic, the armadillo attacks your landscape.

The Excavator

Armadillos are insectivores. They eat grubs, beetles, worms, and ants. To find them, they use their powerful nose to sniff out food underground and their massive front claws to dig it up.

  • Signs of Damage: Shallow holes (1-3 inches deep) and overturned turf scattered across your lawn. It often looks like someone took a rototiller to your yard overnight.
  • Burrowing: Aside from foraging, they dig deep burrows for shelter, often under driveways, A/C units, and foundations, causing structural instability.

Armadillo Facts & Myths

  • Leprosy: It is true that armadillos are the only other animal besides humans that can carry Mycobacterium leprae (the bacteria that causes leprosy). However, transmission to humans is rare and usually requires handling or eating the animal. Still, do not touch armadillos.
  • Nocturnal: They are mostly active at night, which is why the damage “magically” appears in the morning.
  • Poor Eyesight: They rely heavily on smell and hearing.

Control Strategies

Armadillos are notoriously difficult to trap because they don’t respond well to bait. They eat live insects underground, so putting an apple or peanut butter in a trap rarely works.

1. Funneling (The Guidance Method)

Because they have poor eyesight, armadillos tend to walk along barriers (fences, walls). We use “drift fences” or wooden guides to physically funnel the walking armadillo into a cage trap.

2. Grub Control

Treating your lawn for grubs can reduce the food source, making your yard less attractive compared to your neighbor’s.

3. Exclusion

If an armadillo has burrowed under your foundation, we use the same trench-and-screen method used for groundhogs to seal the entry after the animal is removed.

If your lawn is being destroyed, don’t wait. Armadillos will return night after night until the food is gone or they are removed.