Armadillo Removal

Armadillos may seem harmless, but their constant digging can quickly turn a healthy Orlando lawn into a patchwork of holes, damaged landscaping, and unstable soil. At Critter Control, we provide professional armadillo trapping and removal services throughout Orlando.

Whether you’re finding shallow holes throughout your yard, discovering burrows beneath structures, or dealing with recurring nuisance wildlife activity, our experienced specialists can identify the source and develop a customized solution to protect your property. With Orlando’s warm climate, sandy soils, and abundant insect populations creating ideal conditions for armadillos year-round, prompt removal is often the best way to stop damage before it becomes more extensive and costly.

Signs of Armadillos in the Yard

In Orlando and throughout Central Florida, armadillos are notorious for digging in lawns, flower beds, and landscaped areas while searching for insects and grubs. If you suspect armadillos are visiting your property, look for these common signs:

1. Small, Cone-Shaped Holes in the Lawn

The most obvious sign is numerous shallow holes scattered across the yard.

• Typically 1 to 3 inches wide and 3 to 5 inches deep
• Often cone-shaped
• Common in turfgrass, mulch beds, and around trees
• Created while armadillos search for beetle larvae, worms, ants, and other soil-dwelling insects

2. Uprooted Flowers and Landscape Plants

As armadillos dig for food, they may accidentally disturb vegetation.

• Displaced annuals and perennials
• Exposed roots
• Damaged ornamental beds
• Mulch thrown onto sidewalks or driveways

3. Damaged Sod and Turf

In Orlando’s warm climate, healthy lawns can attract the insects armadillos feed on.

• Sections of turf peeled back or loosened
• Uneven lawn surfaces
• Clusters of feeding holes appearing overnight
• Damage most noticeable after rain when soil is soft

4. Burrows Around Structures

Armadillos create dens where they rest during the day.

Look for burrow entrances:

• 7 to 10 inches wide
• Up to 15 feet long underground
• Along foundations
• Beneath porches, decks, sheds, or concrete slabs
• Around tree roots and dense vegetation

5. Disturbed Mulch Beds

Mulch provides easy digging conditions and attracts insects.

Signs include:

• Mulch pushed into piles
• Freshly dug depressions
• Exposed landscape fabric
• Repeated digging in the same area

6. Tracks in Soft Soil

Armadillo tracks may appear after rain or irrigation.

Characteristics:

• Four toes on the front feet
• Five toes on the rear feet
• Visible claw marks
• Tail drag marks sometimes present

7. Damage Appearing Overnight

Armadillos are primarily nocturnal.

You may notice:

• A healthy lawn before dark
• Fresh digging the next morning
• New holes appearing repeatedly despite filling them

8. Increased Activity Following Rainfall

Orlando’s frequent summer rains bring insects closer to the soil surface.

After wet weather, armadillo activity often increases because:

• Soil is easier to dig
• Earthworms become more active
• Grubs move closer to the surface

9. Tunnels Under Fences

Armadillos are poor climbers but excellent diggers.

Look for:

• Gaps underneath fence lines
• Dirt mounds near fence posts
• Pathways leading into neighboring properties or wooded areas

Problems in Gardens & Around Homes

Armadillos also cause issues for homeowners by eating their plants and fruit and creating huge tunnels in the yard, which can actually cause structural damage to your porch, sidewalk, foundation, and fence. This structural damage can cost you thousands of dollars in repairs, which is why you should call Critter Control® of Orlando if you’ve noticed any signs of armadillos on your property.

Homeowners may find holes in vegetable gardens and flower beds, as well. When digging for grubs, earthworms, and insects, an armadillo in the yard will tear out bulbs and other vegetation. This can actually destabilize foundations, driveways, and other structures. Cosmetic damage may also occur on golf courses, while armadillo holes in pastures and farm fields can injure livestock.

Finally, although disease transmission is rare, these pests can carry the bacteria that causes leprosy.

Armadillo Trapping and Humane Removal

We do not recommend DIY armadillo trapping. Due to their protective armor, lethal traps are usually an ineffective way to capture the animal. And because armadillos dig for their food, you can’t entice them to eat bait or poison. In fact, leaving out bait to attract the armadillo will usually cause other wildlife like raccoons or opossums to come onto your property.

We use a targeted trapping approach to remove armadillos from Orlando properties safely and effectively. Because armadillos are primarily nocturnal and travel predictable routes between feeding and denning areas, trapping is often the most reliable solution for recurring yard damage.

Armadillo Prevention and Exclusion

The best way to exclude armadillos from private properties is to remove their access to food sources. Eliminating ants or termites in residential areas can be complex and requires the expertise of pest control specialists. Although armadillos are proficient climbers and burrowers, they can be restricted from yards and gardens by installing outward-angled fences buried at least a foot into the ground.

The best way to keep armadillos away is to keep your landscape free from heavy brush and wood piles that attract the pests they love to eat. Barriers like fences are helpful, but only when they go below the soil. Armadillos are known for their climbing skills, but they are able to climb. A yard free of the food sources that attract them will make climbing a fence less desirable.

Critter Control of Orlando Provides Armadillo Removal You Can Trust

Though they are interesting creatures, your property is no place for armadillos. If you’ve spotted them around your home, your best bet is to call the experts at Critter Control® of Orlando. Our staff can safely remove any armadillos from your property with humane methods that allow them to be relocated. 

At Critter Control® of Orlando, our experienced technicians understand the importance of carrying out proper trapping techniques to effectively remove the armadillo from your property. We will also do a home inspection to see how they are getting into your yard and what may be attracting them so that we can address the real root of the problem. Even if an armadillo is trapped, others will keep coming on to your property until you take care of your wildlife issue in its entirety. We’ll be happy to give you a free estimate and help you get rid of your armadillo issues for good.

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Keep them out.®

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