How to Get Rid of Armadillos: Practical Solutions for Your Property's Prehistoric Pest Problem

Armadillos have been wandering North American soil since the Ice Age ended, but lately, they seem to be showing up in places where nobody remembers seeing them before. Maybe you've noticed those telltale cone-shaped holes appearing in your lawn overnight, or perhaps you've caught a glimpse of that distinctive armored shell shuffling through your garden beds at dusk. Whatever brought you here, you're dealing with one of nature's most persistent excavators, and I'm willing to bet you're ready for them to dig somewhere else.

Understanding Your Armored Adversary

Before diving into removal strategies, let's talk about what we're actually dealing with here. The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) – the only species you'll encounter in the United States – is essentially a living bulldozer with terrible eyesight and an insatiable appetite for grubs. These creatures can smell a beetle larva eight inches underground, which explains why your lawn looks like someone went at it with a golf tee.

I remember the first time I encountered armadillo damage on my own property. It was 2018, middle of July, and I walked out to find my prized St. Augustine grass looking like the surface of the moon. The frustration was real, but it taught me something important: armadillos aren't trying to ruin your day. They're just following their nose to the next meal.

These animals are surprisingly athletic for something that looks like a walking football. They can jump three to four feet straight up when startled (a defense mechanism that unfortunately makes them vulnerable to cars), swim across rivers by inflating their intestines for buoyancy, and hold their breath for up to six minutes while foraging underwater. Yeah, you read that right – inflating their intestines. Nature is weird.

Why Standard Deterrents Often Fail

You've probably already tried a few things. Maybe you scattered mothballs around the perimeter of your property because your neighbor swore by them. Or perhaps you invested in one of those ultrasonic repellers that promised to send armadillos packing. Here's the thing: armadillos are remarkably single-minded creatures. When they're hunting for food, they enter what I call "the zone" – a state of focused foraging where they're essentially oblivious to most disturbances.

Mothballs? They'll dig right past them. Ultrasonic devices? Armadillos can barely hear in the first place. Those motion-activated sprinklers might startle them once or twice, but they'll quickly learn the pattern and work around it. I've watched armadillos methodically work their way through yards equipped with every commercial deterrent on the market, completely unfazed.

The problem with most deterrent approaches is they assume armadillos think like other pest animals. But armadillos aren't raccoons or opossums – they're not looking for easy opportunities or garbage can raids. They're following an ancient biological imperative to find protein-rich invertebrates, and that drive is stronger than any mild inconvenience we throw at them.

Exclusion: The Fort Knox Approach

If you're serious about keeping armadillos out, physical barriers are your best bet. But here's where most people go wrong – they think a simple fence will do the trick. Armadillos are accomplished diggers, and a standard fence is about as effective as a "Keep Out" sign written in English.

For true armadillo exclusion, you need what I call the "L-footer" – a fence that extends at least 18 inches underground and then bends outward at a 90-degree angle for another 12 inches. The fence itself should be at least 24 inches tall, though 36 inches gives you a better margin of error. Use galvanized hardware cloth or welded wire with openings no larger than 3 inches.

I helped a friend install this type of fencing around her vegetable garden in 2020. The initial investment was significant – about $15 per linear foot when you factor in materials and labor – but she hasn't seen a single armadillo in that garden since. Meanwhile, her unfenced flower beds still get the occasional midnight visitor.

Small areas like gardens or specific landscape features are ideal candidates for exclusion. Fencing an entire property? That's where the economics start to break down unless you're dealing with a truly severe infestation or protecting something irreplaceable.

Trapping: The Chess Match

Trapping armadillos requires patience, strategy, and a bit of luck. Unlike many animals, armadillos don't respond to bait – remember, they're after live prey underground, not the peanut butter or sardines that might tempt other critters. This means you need to think like an armadillo highway engineer.

Armadillos are creatures of habit. They follow the same paths night after night, usually along walls, fences, or natural barriers. Look for worn trails in the grass, tracks in soft soil (distinctive with four toes on the front feet, five on the back), or pathways under shrubs. These are your trap locations.

The most effective trap is a large cage trap – at least 32 inches long, 12 inches high, and 10 inches wide. Anything smaller and you risk the armadillo simply bouncing off the back and escaping. Position the trap directly in the armadillo's path, and here's the crucial part: use boards or temporary fencing to create a funnel that guides the animal into the trap. Think of it as creating a one-way street.

Some folks swear by wooden traps over metal ones, claiming armadillos are more willing to enter something that doesn't clang when they bump it. I've had success with both, but I do notice wooden traps seem to have a slightly higher success rate, maybe 60% versus 50% for metal ones on the first night of deployment.

The Habitat Modification Strategy

Sometimes the smartest approach isn't fighting armadillos directly – it's making your property less appealing to them in the first place. This means addressing the root cause: the buffet of grubs and insects living in your soil.

Beneficial nematodes have become my go-to recommendation for long-term armadillo management. These microscopic worms parasitize and kill grub larvae, essentially removing the armadillo's food source. Apply them in late summer or early fall when grub populations are highest, and water them in well. It's not an overnight solution – it might take a full season to see results – but it addresses the problem at its source.

Proper lawn maintenance plays a bigger role than most people realize. Armadillos prefer moist, loose soil where digging is easy and invertebrate populations are high. By maintaining a healthy, dense turf and avoiding overwatering, you create conditions that are less favorable for both grubs and the armadillos that hunt them.

I've noticed that properties with excessive irrigation tend to have more armadillo problems. That daily sprinkler cycle might keep your grass green, but it's also creating ideal conditions for the beetles and grubs that armadillos love. Consider switching to deeper, less frequent watering – your lawn will develop stronger roots, and you'll likely see fewer armadillo visits.

When to Call in Professional Help

There's no shame in admitting when you're outmatched. I've seen property owners spend hundreds of dollars on DIY solutions over months, only to have a professional solve the problem in a week. If you're dealing with multiple armadillos, if they're denning under structures, or if you've tried the above methods without success, it's time to make the call.

Professional wildlife control operators have access to techniques and equipment that aren't available to the general public. They also understand local regulations – and yes, there are regulations. In Texas, for example, it's legal to trap and relocate armadillos. In Florida, it's not. A professional knows these rules and has established protocols for humane removal and relocation.

The cost varies widely depending on your location and the severity of the problem, but expect to pay between $150-$500 for a typical residential armadillo removal. That might seem steep, but consider the alternative: ongoing damage to your lawn, landscape, and potentially your home's foundation if they decide to burrow underneath it.

Living with Limited Coexistence

Here's something that might ruffle some feathers: complete eradication of armadillos from your property might not be possible or even desirable. Armadillos do provide some benefits – they eat fire ants, termites, and other pest insects. A single armadillo can consume thousands of insects in one night.

I've come to view armadillos differently over the years. Yes, they can be destructive, but they're also fascinating creatures that have survived virtually unchanged for millions of years. There's something to be said for that kind of persistence.

On my own property, I've reached a sort of détente with the local armadillo population. I've protected the areas I care most about with exclusion fencing, modified the habitat in key zones, and accepted that the back corner of my lot might occasionally look like a mining operation. It's not perfect, but it's sustainable.

The Reality Check

Let me be straight with you: there's no magic bullet for armadillo control. Anyone promising a quick, easy, permanent solution is either naive or trying to sell you something. Successful armadillo management requires a combination of methods, ongoing vigilance, and realistic expectations.

The good news is that with the right approach, you can absolutely minimize armadillo damage and protect the areas of your property that matter most. It might take some trial and error to find what works for your specific situation, but persistence pays off.

Remember, armadillos have been around for about 60 million years. They've survived ice ages, predators, and habitat loss. They're not going to be defeated by a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or a plastic owl. Respect your opponent, plan your strategy accordingly, and you'll have a much better chance of success.

Whether you choose exclusion, trapping, habitat modification, or professional intervention, the key is to start with a clear understanding of armadillo behavior and work with their nature rather than against it. After all, they're just trying to make a living, one grub at a time.

Authoritative Sources:

Chamberlain, Phillip A., and Kenneth L. Krysko. The Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) in Florida. University of Florida IFAS Extension, 2003.

McDonough, Colleen M., and W. J. Loughry. The Nine-Banded Armadillo: A Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press, 2013.

Mengak, Michael T. "Wildlife Damage Management: Nine-Banded Armadillo." University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Bulletin 1354, 2015.

Rollins, Dale, and Rick Taylor. "Armadillos." Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Wildlife Services, Publication B-6149, 2003.

Taulman, James F., and Lynn W. Robbins. "Range Expansion and Distributional Limits of the Nine-Banded Armadillo in the United States: An Update of Taulman & Robbins (1996)." Journal of Biogeography, vol. 41, no. 8, 2014, pp. 1626-1630.

United States Department of Agriculture. "Managing Wildlife Damage: Armadillos." USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, 2016.