By: Tracy Sanders | tracy@thewoodrufftimes.com
Have you recently spotted peculiar holes in your lawn, about 1 to 10 inches deep? If so, you may have unwittingly welcomed armadillos into your property. These armored diggers are not just a nuisance; they pose significant challenges to homeowners seeking to maintain their manicured landscapes.
Armadillos are notorious for their turf-damaging habits, as they tirelessly forage for insects and invertebrates beneath the soil surface. In South Carolina, there is no closed season on armadillos on private lands statewide with a valid hunting license. Night hunting is permitted from the last day of February to July 1 as long as the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is notified.
Identifiable by their unique armor and belonging to a lineage distantly related to anteaters and sloths, armadillos can weigh anywhere between 8 to 17 pounds. Their habitat spans from Texas to Florida, infiltrating areas of central Alabama, Georgia, and beyond in recent years.
Aside from their landscaping havoc, armadillos carry health risks, including diseases like leprosy and Chagas disease. Therefore, caution is advised when encountering them, and direct contact should be avoided.
Controlling armadillo populations requires a proactive approach. Methods such as habitat modification and exclusion, achieved through fencing, can deter these creatures from establishing burrows on your property. However, if intervention is necessary, trapping is a recommended method. Professional-grade traps, strategically positioned along their travel routes, offer an effective means of capture.
It’s crucial to note that relocation and translocation of armadillos are strictly prohibited in South Carolina.
So, if you’re grappling with the aftermath of an armadillo invasion in your backyard, understanding your options for control and management is essential for reclaiming your outdoor space. You can download the armadillo species information document, prepared by the Nation Wildlife Control Training Program, here.
Author: Tracy Sanders
