Do not be fooled by Armadillo’s small size; all it takes is one of these big-eared, odd-looking creatures to wreak havoc on your lawn.
If one Armadillo can dig up to 12 burrows in its territory, imagine what a group can do to your yard, so the best ways to get rid of Armadillos in your yard come in handy.
Besides armadillos digging extensively, their foraging can damage the roots of the plants in your garden.
Protect your yard by eliminating Armadillos to ensure the vegetation and the lawn, in general, stays healthy and in good condition.
What Attracts Armadillos to Your Yard?
Armadillos do not live everywhere, so if you find them in your yard, your property contains things that attract them. These are:
1. Conducive Environment
Armadillos are choosy when it comes to places to stay. It has to be relatively wet and relatively hot but not cold.
They cannot live in areas whose average low temperature is less than 17℉ and need a minimum of 20 inches of rain annually.
They are not usually found in desert, dry, and arid climates. They will choose humid forests and wooded areas instead of places where cacti thrive.
If you take care of your lawn properly, ensuring it is well fertilized and watered, Armadillos will find it a great place to live and feed.
This is because such an environment is ideal for insects. Moreover, a wet lawn has soft soil, which Armadillos prefer to dig and create burrows.
Also Read: How to get rid of rats in your yard
2. Insects
A huge part of the Armadillos’ diet comprises insects like wasps, ants, and beetle larvae. When they are not feeding on bugs, they are eating lizards, small vertebrates, snakes, frogs, and earthworms.
They also eat earthworms, spiders, caterpillars, snails, millipedes, grasshoppers, termites, and centipedes.
3. Garbage Cans
Although Armadillos’ primary diet comprises worms and insects, they also eat carrion, fruits, seeds, and nuts which they can find in garbage cans.
Armadillos will come to your lawn if the garbage cans are known over, or they smell the garbage.
4. Brambles
Armadillos jump and run to escape predators, and they have many, including mountain lions, owls, black bears, and coyotes.
They also hide from them in their burrows. Moreover, heavy brambles like blackberries and raspberries are a haven for Armadillos against predators.
6 Ways to Get Rid of Armadillos From Your Yard
Before taking action, confirm the presence of Armadillos in your yard. Here are the signs to look for:
- Burrows.
- Four toe prints that have a sharp claw.
- Cracks in your sidewalk or driveway as a result of Armadillos burrowing.
- Uprooted plants.
- Damaged underground pipes and wires.
- 3 to 5 inches wide and 1 to 3 deep holes.
After making sure Armadillos are in your yard, it is time to get rid of them.
1. Get Rid of Their Hiding Places
It may seem that Armadillos can take care of themselves because of their hard shell. However, that is not enough, and they often need additional coverage, so they develop burrows.
They dig holes in places with plenty of cover for extra protection, like buildings and vegetation.
Therefore, discourage them from digging by removing tall grass, debris piles, leaf piles, and brush.
Also, cover your yard with low-lying ground cover and protect your flower beds or gardens using mesh cages.
2. Use Repellents
Although Armadillos’ impeccable sense of smell is a huge asset for their survival, it can also be used against them.
You can use smells that Armadillos hate to drive them off your yard.
For instance, a homemade armadillo repellent made of garlic or cayenne has pungent odors that are unpleasant enough for these mammals to go away.
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Sprinkle crushed garlic or cayenne pepper in strategic areas such as close to their food sources.
Besides the awful smell, the Capsaicin in cayenne pepper can cause stomach inflammation.
3. Remove Their Food Supply
Mow your grass and trim the shrubs and bushes to get rid of insects. In addition, get rid of grubs in lawn by applying broad-spectrum insecticides.
Ensure your garbage can has a properly functioning lid, and remove fallen fruits and berries.
4. Use Motion-Activated Sprinklers and Lights
Motion-activated lights can startle and deter Armadillos while they walk around your yard at night. You can also frighten them with your sprinklers.
These electronic deterrents, coupled with the most effective armadillo repellent like cayenne pepper, help keep these animals from digging your lawn and keep them away.
5. Fencing
Besides clearing the vegetation in your yard, installing a fence keeps armadillos from accessing your property.
Make your fence more effective by burying a minimum of 12 inches underground, having a minimum of 24 inches above the ground, and slunt the fence 40 degrees outwards.
An electric fence is also effective but does not install it if you have pets and kids. In addition, check if such fences are allowed in your location.
6. Live Traps
Live trapping armadillos is an effective way of eliminating them. The most effective baits to use are red worms, crickets, wigglers, and pond worms which you can find online or at a local pet store.
Place the live traps at the entrance of the armadillo burrows at night and along the fence or wall line near the damaged spots. Use wooden planks to develop a “V” to direct the animals into the traps.
FAQs
FAQs
Will Killing Grubs Get Rid of Armadillos?
Killing grubs will help eliminate armadillos from your yard because they are among these mammals’ food sources. However, the presence of other things that attract armadillos, including insects and brambles, will invite them
Do Armadillos Carry Ticks?
Armadillos carry ticks and other parasites like fleas. Therefore, handling these mammals puts you at risk of contracting diseases carried by these pests.
Conclusion
Armadillos can be a nuisance in your yard, but there are several ways to get rid of them.
Here are ways to get rid of armadillos from your yard:
- Build a fence around your yard to keep armadillos away from your yard.
- Use repellents, such as ammonia or mothballs, to deter armadillos from entering your yard.
- Trap and relocate armadillos to a more suitable location.
- Modify the habitat in your yard to make it less attractive to armadillos.
- Use Motion-Activated Sprinklers and Lights
- Hire professional extermination service.
It’s important to note that some methods may be more effective than others depending on the specific situation, and it may be necessary to use a combination of methods to effectively get rid of armadillos from your yard.
Hey there, I’m Derek Schew, a writer for Lawnholic.com, where we cover everything and anything related to lawns. As someone who’s spent countless hours tending to my own lawn, I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping others achieve the perfect yard. From lawn care tips to product reviews, I’m committed to providing our readers with the most accurate and up-to-date information available. So whether you’re a seasoned lawn enthusiast or just getting started, I invite you to join our community and discover the joys of a lush, green lawn.