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The armadillo is a non native destructive mammal originally from South America. |
If you have never seen a armadillo before its appearance alone is unlike another animal found in North America. The armadillo is now common throughout Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. It is also found in other states and Its expansion as a non native speciesis only only limited by its inability to adapt to colder climates. The armadillo is a burrowing creature with a diet of earthworms, grubs, and insects and is quickly makes a nuisance of itself due to its powerful legs and their ability to dig and destroy everything it chooses to in its path. The most common complaints by homeowners is numerous burrows dug against structures or destroying manicured lawns or turf in search of food. They have been known to destroy the foundations of structures, cables, electrical wiring, pool filters , underground plumbing and most anything that they can reach and destroy. Should you realize you may have a problem with armadillos please contact a professional who knows how to trap armadillos for a inspection . Their ar no known repellants on the market and the hiring of a skilled trapper is the one and only proven method of getting rid of a nuisance armadillos. In the United States, the sole resident armadillo is the Nine-banded Armadillo, which is most common in the central southernmost states, especially Texas. Their range is as far east as South Carolina and Florida and have been found as far north as Nebraska; they have been consistently expanding their range over the last century due to a lack of any natural predators and beleived to have also reached the northern states of Illinois and Indiana. Two types of problems generally occur with armadillos. While feeding, they may root around in a garden or landscaped area and disturb plantings. The second type of conflict occurs in the digging of semi permanent tunnel networks. The disturbance of gardens is generally obvious.The armadillo may simply move on after getting his fill, or continue digging on a nightly basis. The damaging effects of tunneling and burrowing are more a danger to people and live stock. Twisted ankles, and downed cattle due to a cave in on a burrow is nothing new. Even after the armadillo moves on, skunks and other animals will take over the den and sometimes make it larger. If the armadillos are digging under concrete, the slab may crack with weight on it, as the animal has removed all the dirt from under it which supported it. |