Oh, the elusive Armadillo! This time of year we get numerous Armadillo calls. In the springtime, armadillos will give birth to two sets of identical twins - 2 males and 2 females. So for every two armadillos in your yard, you are almost guaranteed 6 at the end of mating season! So there must be a way to keep armadillos from choosing your lawn to feast in, right? Here are a few
helpful tips and a few
warning signs that you might need to call us:
Tip#1-Watering in the late afternoon and evening, brings grubs to the surface of your lawn and mulch beds just in time for armadillos to enjoy. Armadillos start feeding most often in the late afternoon and will continue through the night. Watering in the early hours just after sunrise will give the lawn time to dry out before those pesky grub-mongers start the hunt. Drier grounds means less grubs.
Tip#2-Natural grub repellents like used coffee grounds, boric acid, and diluted vinegar can help keep armadillos in someone else's untamed yard. Vinegar may even help green up your yard. It helps release the iron in your soil.
Tip#3-Attracting birds to your yard with carefully placed bird-feeders can help reduce the grub population as well. Keep in mind, squirrels, raccoons, rats, and opossums also love bird seed, so keep it high and away from your house and trees.
Warning #1- Armadillos carry and release harmful disease carrying parasites and bacteria. Always wear gloves while gardening and clean all tools after use. Armadillos carry leprosy and encephalitis.
Warning#2 - Armadillos burrow under slabs and sometimes close to electrical appliances, like A/C units and sprinkler equipment. Costly A/C repairs have often been the result of armadillos burrowing. Use caution gardening near burrows. Investigate first.
Warning #3 - Other animals use armadillo burrows as shelters, including mice, raccoons, opossums and most importantly snakes! Please keep children from poking around to avoid serious medical emergencies!
Oh, the elusive Armadillo! This time of year we get numerous Armadillo calls. In the springtime, armadillos will give birth to two sets of identical twins - 2 males and 2 females. So for every two armadillos in your yard, you are almost guaranteed 6 at the end of mating season! So there must be a way to keep armadillos from choosing your lawn to feast in, right? Here are a few helpful tips and a few warning signs that you might need to call us:
The comment above about not watering at night was proved positive by my mistake last night, at the time knowing nothing about armadillos. I watered, they came, my garden was decimated. This morning, after reading this website, I poured all our old coffee water from yesterday all over my flowers, and will put all our coffee grounds there now - but only in the mornings.
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