#ARE ARMADILLO NOCTURNAL HOW TO#
How to Rid Your Yard of ArmadillosĪs an animal-lover, I always try to take the most ethical approach. They look much like adults but with softer shells that harden as they grow older. They typically try to avoid the hottest and coldest times of the day and are often more active at night, digging their burrows under some sort of cover (bushes, a parked vehicle or trailer) for an easy escape from predators.Īrmadillos mate in the fall, and babies are born in the early spring. Since armadillos can’t regulate their body temperatures, they dig burrows into the ground where they will often spend as many as 16 hours a day. Armadillos might also occasionally feed on the eggs of ground-nesting birds such as wild turkey and quail. They feed on grubs, beetles and spiders, found on the surface and first layer of soil. So your backyard, your garden and your local golf course are prime dinner buffets. The name armadillo translates to “little armored one.” The armadillo’s shell is one of its best defense mechanisms.Īrmadillos like soft soil that is easy to dig. It’s presumed to have moved into the state from Louisiana and Texas, where there were established populations as early as the late 1800s.Īrmadillos are covered with a shell that looks like a suit of armor. (Should we throw a centennial party for them in 2021?) They have even been spotted as far north as Missouri.Ĭolloquially known as dillos or dillers, Arkansas is home to only one species: the nine-banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus). They first arrived in the Natural State only about 100 years ago and continue to spread. ArmadillosĪrmadillos are not native to Arkansas. A late-night recon with a flashlight revealed the offenders: several large armadillos. To find the culprit, I became a woman on a mission. Then I found the big hole that presumably led to the den of whatever was destroying my yard. And then it seemed that my entire yard looked like a poorly executed attempt at building a putt-putt course-a 5,986-hole putt-putt course. Recently, I kept waking up to find small holes in my front yard. These fascinating creatures, related to sloths and anteaters, are somewhat new to Arkansas. If you take a closer look, you might even find them to be a little cute. With their strange leathery coats of armor, armadillos are both unique and creepy.
0 kommentar(er)
