WEC 76

The Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)1

Joseph M. Schaefer and Mark E. Hostetler2

Armadillos are prehistoric-looking animals that belong now found in uplands throughout Florida, except in the
to a family of mammals found primarily in Central and Keys and parts of the Everglades and Big Cypress swamp.
South America. The earliest fossil ancestor of our North
American armadillo occurred about 60 million years ago; it
was as large as a rhinoceros. Our present-day nine-banded
Description
Armadillos have a shield-like shell covered with horny
or long-nosed armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, is much
scales. Joints in the shell are flexible, which enable the
smaller; adults normally weigh from 8–17 pounds (3.5–8
animal to bend and twist. Only the ears and belly of the
kilograms) (Figure 1). This species occurs in Texas and east,
armadillo are without bony armor (Figure 2). These pecu-
throughout the South. It occasionally is found in Missouri
liar animals have 28–32 peg-like teeth in simple rows well
and South Carolina. However, cold weather limits the
back in the mouth. There are no front teeth. Armadillos
northern boundary of the armadillo’s range.
have poor eyesight and hearing, but a keen sense of smell.
Both males and females are about the same size, look alike,
and have similar habits. Despite their awkward appearance,
armadillos are agile runners and good swimmers, and even
have the ability to walk underwater across small streams.

Typical Habitat
Armadillos inhabit dense shady cover, such as brush,
woodland or pine forests. Soil texture is also a factor in the
animal’s habitat selection. They prefer sandy or loam soils
Figure 1. The nine-banded armadillo. that are relatively easy to excavate.
Credits: Bill Kern
Armadillos typically rest in a deep burrow during the day
Armadillos were not always present in Florida. During the and become more active during the late evening, night, or
past century, they expanded their range from Texas into early morning. These burrows are usually located under
the Florida panhandle. From 1920 to about 1970, there brushpiles, stumps, rockpiles, dense brush, or concrete
were several introductions of armadillos into the Atlantic patios, and are about 7–8 inches (18–20 cm) in diameter
coast region of Florida. Then the panhandle and peninsular and can be up to 15 feet (4.5 m) long. Armadillos often have
populations expanded until they merged. Armadillos are

1. This document is WEC 76 (originally published as Control of Armadillos), one of a series of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, UF/
IFAS Extension. Original publication date January 1998. Revised February 2017. Reviewed March 2020. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
for the currently supported version of this publication.

2. Joseph M. Schaefer, district director, County Operations, UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center; and Mark E. Hostetler, wildlife Extension
specialist and professor, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services
only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status,
national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County
Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.
several burrows throughout their territory, but use only one ranging from 0.5% to 10% in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi,
to raise their young. and Mexico. However, no infections have been found in
the more than 2,500 armadillos examined in Florida. The
relationship between infections in wild armadillos and in
humans is not clear.

Causes of Death
Armadillos are one of the most common victims of
highway mortality in Florida. The armadillo’s instinctive
response of jumping upwards when startled may be effec-
tive at avoiding a lunging predator, but not an automobile
or truck passing overhead. Also, many are killed by dogs
and coyotes.

Feeding Habits
These animals feed primarily on insects and their larvae.
They also eat earthworms, scorpions, spiders, snails, and
small vertebrates and their eggs. Reports of armadillo
damage to birds’ nests on the ground are rare. People
cannot help but appreciate the fact that armadillos consume
large amounts of armyworms, cockroaches, ants, wasps,
Figure 2. Dr. Joe Schaefer examines an armadillo. flies, beetles, and grasshoppers. They have been known to
Credits: UF/IFAS dig up entire yellow-jacket nests. Armadillos usually search
Reproduction for food by rooting or digging in ground litter, but will
occasionally eat berries and mushrooms.
Although armadillos breed in late July, the 5-month gesta-
tion period is delayed, which results in the young being
born in February or March. Only one litter is produced Type of Damage Caused by
each year, and it always includes four identical young of Armadillos
the same sex because they develop from a single egg. The
Armadillos are, to some degree, beneficial because they eat
young look like the adults except that they are smaller and
adult insects and larvae. But their feeding behavior also can
their armor coat remains soft and leathery for some time,
cause problems for property owners and managers. When
becoming harder with age.
looking for insects in the soil, armadillos dig numerous
holes in golf courses, lawns, flowerbeds, and gardens. These
Diseases holes typically are 1–3 inches (2.5–7.6 cm) deep and 3–5
Compared to other common mammals such as raccoon inches (7.6–12.7 cm) wide. They also uproot flowers and
and opossum, armadillos are remarkably free of parasites. other ornamental plants. Armadillo burrows under drive-
Twenty-six parasites and disease agents have been identified ways and patios can cause structural damage; and burrows
from armadillos in Florida. These include 2 arboviruses, 19 in pastures can pose a potential hazard to livestock.
bacteria, 2 protozoans, 1 nematode, and 2 mites. All except
the nematode and mites may also infect humans or other Methods of Control
animals, but no severe outbreaks of these situations have
Recommended methods of control include:
been reported. Rabies has never been diagnosed in armadil-
los in Florida. • reduce watering and fertilizing lawns
In 1971, a captive armadillo developed leprosy 17 months • creating barriers (e.g., fences)
after it was inoculated with the bacterium Mycobacterium • live-trapping
leprae obtained from an infected human. Subsequently,
• shooting offending individuals.
armadillos have been used in further study of this disease.
Leprosy in wild armadillos has been reported at rates

The Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) 2

Reducing watering and fertilizing your lawn will reduce released. Further, armadillos are not native to Florida and it
armadillo damage. A moist lush landscape is perfect for is illegal to transport and release them.
earthworms and insect larvae. Armadillos love earthworms.
Sometimes watering adjacent areas may attract armadillos
away from a site.

Where highly valued plantings are in need of protection,

small fences may be used to keep the animals out. These
fences should be approximately 24 inches (60 cm) above
ground with the bottom of the fence buried 18 inches below
the surface of the ground. The fence also should be slanted
outward at about a 40° angle.

Several live-trapping techniques can be used to capture

armadillos as they come out of their burrows. One is to
firmly insert a 6-inch diameter PVC pipe into the entrance
of an active burrow. Regular-sized armadillos will get stuck
in the pipe as they try to exit. A nylon throw-net used for
fishing can also be staked down so it covers the burrow Figure 3. A live-trap with “wings” added to help guide the armadillo
entrance. Armadillos will get tangled in the net as they into the trap.
emerge. Another trapping technique involves burying a Credits: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage by University of
large bucket (larger than 5-gallons) in front of the entrance, Nebraska, USDA-APHIS, and the Great Plains Agricultural Council
and covering it with newspaper or plastic sheeting and a Shooting is another method frequently used to control
light layer of soil. nuisance armadillos where it is legal to discharge a firearm.
Recommended firearms are a shotgun with No. 4 to BB-
Because armadillos are nocturnal, all trapping techniques sized shot or .22 or other small caliber rifle. It is illegal to
designed to capture armadillos emerging from burrows use artificial lights to aid in the shooting of armadillos at
should be applied late in the afternoon and checked several night. Armadillo meat is edible if properly prepared and
hours after darkness. there is no daily possession or season limit on them.

Laying chicken-wire along a patio, driveway or house Poison baits are illegal and ineffective. No chemical repel-
foundation will also discourage them from burrowing. lents or fumigants are registered for use in Florida. (This
includes mothballs: see The Facts about Mothballs http://
Armadillos also can be trapped in raccoon-sized, metal, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi254.)
cage live-traps (available from local pest control and feed
stores) or in homemade box traps. Traps should be located
near the entrance of burrows or along fences or other References
barriers where they might travel. This trap is most effective Fitch, H.S., P. Goodrum, and C. Newman. 1952. “The
when “wings” (1 x 6 inch x 6 feet boards or other material) armadillo in the southeastern United States”. J. Mammal.
are added to funnel the animal into the trap (See Figure 33:21–37.
3). The benefit of using baits with this trap is questionable.
Suggested baits are live earthworms or mealworms in Howerth, E.W., D.E. Stallknecht, W.R. Davidson, and E.J.
surrounding soil placed in hanging bags made of old nylon Wentworth. 1990. “Survey for leprosy in nine-banded
stockings. Other suggested baits are overripe or spoiled armadillos Dasypus novemcinctus from the southeastern
fruit. Armadillos are more likely to enter a cage trap when United States”. J. Wildl. Dis. 26:112–115.
leaf litter or soil is placed over the wire bottom.
Humphrey, S.R. 1974. “Zoogeography of the nine-banded
Relocating problem animals to another area is not armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus in the United States”.
recommended. This approach only transfers the problem Bioscience 24:457–462.
somewhere else, can enhance the spread of diseases, and
upsets the natural balance in the area where the armadillo is

The Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) 3

Ober, H.K., DeGroote, L.W., and R.F Mizell III. 2011.
Baiting the Nine-banded Armadillo. WEC 317. Gainesville:
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw362

Wolfe, J.L. 1968. “Armadillo distribution in Alabama and

northwest Florida”. Quart. J. Fla. Acad. Sci. 31:209–212.

The Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) 4