GARDEN TALK

Armadillos

The state of Alabama is blessed with an abundance of wildlife diversity – deer, turkeys, fish, birds, butterflies, etc. But not all wildlife are looked upon favorably or as welcomed residents. Of all the wildlife-related calls the county Extension offices receive, the No. 1 complaint tends to be about armadillos. Yes, I’m referring to those “possums on the half-shell.” Those critters that like to wander into backyards at night and dig holes in the lawn, garden and flowers beds. They are nuisance animals that cause unsightly damage and give homeowners headaches.

There are approximately 20 species of armadillo worldwide, but only one species is found in the United States: the nine-banded armadillo. Not native to Alabama, armadillos were first seen around Mobile County in the 1940s, having expanded from Texas. They continued moving north and are now likely in every Alabama county except some of the northeastern mountainous areas.

The word armadillo means ‘little armored one’ in Spanish. The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is so named because of the nine moveable rings of armor between the shoulder and the hip shields. This animal has a long tail that also is protected by rings of armor. Three-toe prints and sharp claw marks are typical of armadillo tracks. Nine-banded armadillos are about 2.5 feet long from the nose to the tip of the tail and usually weigh an average of 12 pounds. Armadillos are about the same size as opossums.

Although armadillos eat insects, beetle grubs and other invertebrates, they sometimes are a nuisance, as they dig in lawns, golf courses, vegetable gardens and flower beds. It is their annoying feeding habits that make them particularly troublesome around the home lawn and landscape. Armadillos root about in ground litter

searching for earthworms, grubs, spiders and insect larvae, as well as for small amounts of fruit and vegetable matter, such as berries and tender roots.

Sure calling cards and evidence an armadillo has visited your property are the small holes and the disturbed soil. Armadillo damage on the ground is often 1 to 3 inches deep and 3 to 5 inches wide. Disturbing the vegetation in loose soils, in particular, could cause cosmetic damage to lawns and gardens.

While searching for food, armadillos seem oblivious to all else and may come very close to human beings before becoming alarmed. They have poor eyesight and hearing but keen sense of smell. Despite looking clumsy, they often jump straight up in the air when startled; then, they quickly run off. This odd behavior greatly reduces their chances of surviving an encounter with a vehicle. Armadillos make a great deal of noise traveling through the woods; many deer hunters have been disappointed to discover that the trophy buck they heard in the leaves was just a pesky armadillo digging around for food.

Armadillos burrow in the ground and have strong legs adapted for digging. Their burrows are usually 7 to 8 inches in diameter and up to 15 feet in length. Their burrows

are commonly located under rockpiles, stumps, brushpiles and dense cover. Armadillos dig several burrows within an area to use for escape. Some damage has been caused by their burrowing under foundations, driveways, patios and other structures. Controlling armadillos is a tough task since they are mainly nocturnal. 'Possum on the Half-Shell Previous Pages: This most infamous of garden pests has long, sharp claws and a voracious appetite for bugs, slugs and vegetables; Top: Even the armadillo's tail is armored; They move around primarily from twilight to early morning hours in the summer. In the Above: Armadillos dig holes that are 1 to 3 inches deep winter, they may be active and 3 to 5 inches wide. and seen during the day. Homeowners also have limited options to control armadillos and prevent damage – removing food sources, trapping, fencing or shooting them. Armadillos feed on invertebrates in the ground, so the first step is to eliminate the food source in the area. Applying an insecticide labeled for grubs and other insects to the lawn will often force armadillos to look elsewhere for food; however, ridding the soil and vegetation of all insects, worms and grubs may not be practical and may be detrimental to the plants and other life-forms in the area. Live traps can be used to catch problem armadillos but with rare success. Bait them with nightcrawlers, frozen crickets or over-ripe fruits, such as bananas and apples. These traps may be more effective when wooden plank

boards are added to funnel the animal into the trap. Place the traps in the area where damage has occurred; for example, around and along the house. Research shows armadillos are more likely to enter a cage trap when leaf litter or soil is placed over the wire bottom. According to conservation enforcement officers, Alabama nuisance wildlife laws state that animals captured in live traps must be terminated and cannot be transported or released in other areas.

If the damage is isolated to a garden area, an electric fence may be effective. A single strand 3 to 4 inches off the ground should be sufficient. Polytape electric fence wire with a New Zealand-type charger makes an effective and safe exclusion device. Laying chicken wire along a patio, driveway or house foundation also discourages them from burrowing. No toxicant, fumigants or repellents are registered for armadillo control, so don’t believe everything you hear and read.

The most effective control method is shooting them. If you live in a place that allows the legal discharge of a firearm, you might consider eliminating them in this manner. Armadillos in Alabama have an open hunting season and are not protected in any way; however, local regulations and city ordinances on discharging firearms may prohibit this activity. Even tougher, armadillos are active at night and don’t have predictable schedules for

GARDEN TALK visiting yards, so odds of seeing and actually shooting them is low. This option requires constant observation and possibly sleepless nights. Armadillos have been known to carry the bacterium associated with human leprosy, but there has been no conclusive evidence that human beings contract leprosy from contact with armadillos. While the health threat from armadillos may be minimal, they do have very sharp claws, so take precautions to not handle or touch a living or deceased armadillo. Unfortunately, there is not a 100 percent effective and easy means of controlling annoying armadillos. What works for some

Shane Harris may not work for others. Experiment with a few methods, and let me know what works for you. Good luck, and I hope you get the critter. For help on other home and garden questions, contact your local county Extension office or visit aces.edu. ~ Shane Harris is the Tallapoosa County Extension Coordinator for the Alabama Cooperative Extension.

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