Armadillo-like creatures have existed on the planet for some 50 million years, and a giant variety may be seen at the Museum of Florida History here in Tallahassee. However, the nine-banded armadillo that seems to be everywhere nowadays is actually a fairly recent arrival to Florida. Armadillos originally evolved in South America. Named by Spanish conquistadors in the 1500s as the “little armored one,” armadillos are actually native to the southwestern United States and expanded their range so that by the 1960s they were present in our state. Moreover, it has been reported that they were intentionally released into eastern Florida and southern Alabama. They are now thriving in all 67 counties of Florida.
Armadillos prefer forested or semi-open habitats with loosely textured soil that allows them to dig with ease. This digging ability helps them excavate their burrows to escape predators, and one individual armadillo may have several such burrows or holes. If startled or attacked, armadillos will actually jump up in the air and even bounce along the ground. They will then seek out one of their burrows to hide in. Predators include coyotes, bears, bobcats, foxes, and, of course, cars and trucks.
These animals are about the size of a house cat and usually 15-17 inches long without counting the tail. Oddly, they have four toes on the front feet and five on the back. Armadillos can reach up to 17 pounds with males being larger than females. Females always give birth to identical quadruplets, either all male or all female. The young, who can walk within a few hours of birth, stay within the burrow for 2-3 weeks before following their mother around learning to feed. Only the female takes care of the young. Their life spans are generally 7-20 years.
Primarily solitary, armadillos are most active in the evening and at night. They have poor eyesight but a good sense of smell and vocalize by making a low grunt. Interestingly, when these animals need to cross a body of water, they often walk on the bottom of the stream holding their breath. They will also inflate their stomachs to add buoyancy to swim across.
With peg-like teeth and small mouths, these wanderers are not a physical threat to humans but can be a pest for gardeners and homeowners. These creatures love to root around the top layer of lawns and gardens searching for food. Their preferred diet consists of insects and insect larva, but they also eat earthworms, spiders, small frogs and smaller skinks. Armadillos also seem to like fruit and will be attracted to rotten pears or peaches.
Keeping armadillos off your lawn or out of your garden can take some work. Trapping them is difficult, as they do not easily come to bait and their sensitive feet will warn them to leave a metal trap. They do not seem to like the smell of vinegar, ammonia, and moth balls, so these may be effective. To make sure an area is off limits to these animals, you must construct a physical barrier that goes 18 inches into the ground and at least 12 inches above the ground. While armadillos can climb, this should stop the majority.
As the armadillo is plentiful and has adapted to urban and suburban living, we must learn to accept them while keeping them out of where they are not wanted. 
Preston Robertson
Florida Wildlife Federation
Want to help Florida’s wildlife? Join Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF), floridawildlifefederation.org, (850) 656-7113. FWF is a Tallahassee-based non-profit organization that has been advocating for wildlife and wild places since 1936.
