ARMADILLO CONTROL

   This article is about ARMADILLO control.
It will explain why they are a pest and what
needs to be done for controlling infestations.
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   This article will discuss nuisance armadillos and how
to control them. Anyone who has them in their yard knows
just how much destruction can occur if left unchecked.
Armadillos will tear up turf, nest under slabs and eat
just about anything around your home. To understand how
to best deal with your armadillo problem, you need to
know a little about their biology.
   Armadillos belong to the same family of mammals as
the sloth and anteaters.  Their body is made of a leathery
material generally referred to as "armor".  The species
most present in North America is the Nine-banded armadillo
and can be found throughout the entire southwest and
southeast. In fact, this species of armadillo is migrating
ever further from Texas - the original state it was first
found.  In some states, they have established themselves
after being released intentionally. 
   Armadillos love to nest in rock piles, around trees
or shrubs and under slabs. Their burrows are usually
15 to 25 feet long and cause extreme damage to tree roots.
In many cases, this damage leads to the tree dying.
These same burrows can lead to flooding when dug around
crawl spaces and can undermine patio slabs or walk ways.
This weakening ultimately leads to the concrete falling
apart and breaking. Armadillos are strong diggers and
rely on this strength for food and shelter.
   Armadillos are attracted to tasty fruit which may
be found in a garden or compost pile. Once they start
coming around, expect them to return every night as they
are mostly nocturnal. They like to establish "runs" where
they will travel every night expecting to find food.
These same "runs" can be used against them and will be
discussed later in the article.
   Armadillos also love turf worms and grubs. Lawns which
are left untended will often develop beetle grub populations
which will certainly attract armadillos from far and wide.
Earthworms are another food source they like and either
grubs or worms can be found by digging up sod, raking away
leaves, moving carefully laid wood chips or bark, or simply
digging frantically until such food is found. Either way,
the mess they leave is aggravating, damaging and never
ending once it begins.
   Armadillos mate in the fall and have their young around
February or March. Almost every litter will have identical
quadruplets. These miniature adults are ready to walk, swim
and behave much like their parents. By the end of the summer,
they too will be wreaking havoc in the neighborhood!
   Armadillo control can be accomplished by either a passive
or aggressive method. Using both tactics will ultimately 
provide the best results. Passive techniques use repellents
and sprays to deal with the armadillos vast food sources.
This approach will provide results, but only over time.
Aggressive techniques involve trapping and provide instant
control. However, if some of the passive techniques are
not employed, other armadillos will move into the vacant
territory once the current armadillo is removed. In most cases,
both passive and aggressive armadillo control will yield
the best results.
   There are three type of repellent treatments for armadillos.
The first one is designed for specific plants. Although
armadillos are not vegetarian by nature, they will eat
entire plants or flower beds if given the chance. ROPEL LIQUID
can be sprayed on any plant or flower and armadillos will
immediately leave it alone. Ropel tastes terrible. It will
last on treated plants for up to a month - even after rain.
Use this treatment if the armadillo is attacking a very
specific plant in a flower bed or garden. To help keep them
away, use the ARMADILLO GRANULES as well. This granule releases
a slight odor which the armadillo will notice and avoid.
Apply them with one of our GRANULE SPREADERS. Both 
liquid and granules are non-toxic to pets and children
and will not be noticed when applied properly.The 
best way to use it is to first apply it over areas
where the animals are walking. Start treatments
when activity is first noticed. If plants you want
to save are sprayed with the Ropel and then the
Granules are applied where the Armadillos are
entering and foraging, they will stop their activity
immediately and move elsewhere.  Be sure to apply some
every 1-2 weeks for the first month. The fresh supply
will make sure the targeted animals have to find
food elsewhere. Once they change their pattern for
good, which usually occurs in 4-6 weeks, they will
forget your property altogether. However, expect
to have some new animals visit some time in the future
since the attractants which lured them there first
will probably still be around. Since the granules will break
down faster when exposed to the rain and sun, you should
consider installing some of our GRANULE GUARDS. 
These plastic stations are designed to hold the 
granules safe from the rain and sun. The odor 
will still release but you can expect longer lasting 
performance when these are used.
   If the armadillos are digging randomly in your yard, you
should treat with WHOLE CONTROL. This liquid will penetrate the 
soil about 2-4 inches. As the animal digs, small 
amounts will get on it's paws. Since it doesn't
taste good, they will avoid areas where it has
been applied. This will get them to move away from your
yard in search of lawns and wooded areas without such a
taste. Whole Control treatments will last around one to
three months and will not hurt the turf or ground water.
And to get the very best results, apply both the Armadillo
Granules and the Whole Control. Simply spread the 
Granules out over the turf you want to protect and then
water them in with the Whole Control. This 1-2 punch
is very effective when you have nuisance animals digging
and destroying your yard.
   You should also consider the use of ULTRA SOUND REPELLERS.
These devices send out sound which is distressing to a
variety of animals depending on the setting. Once tuned
into Armadillos, you can set them out to help keep unwanted
foraging animals away. Ultra Sound works by both scaring
armadillos and making them uncomfortable with surrounding
areas. Our experience is that they will help some of the
time with animals which have found good food supplies
in any given area but that they will work great at keeping
new animals out of the yard altogether. If you want to 
try a combination of Ropel, Whole Control and Ultra Sound
you will probably be able to keep foraging Armadillos
at bay. If you follow the aggressive control measures
detailed below and then install Ultra Sound afterwards,
you won't have recurring activity at all.
   The second passive approach to armadillo control involves
taking away their food supply. Although armadillos will
readily feed on plants, they prefer grubs and other insects.
Treat these insects in your yard and you will force the
armadillos to find food elsewhere - or starve. Don't waste
your time with conventional dursban or Malathion. Most insects
have acquired immunity to these weak formulations. To get the
results you want, use a product which has cyfluthrin as the
active. TEMPO is such a product providing quick knockdown
and residual. Eight ounces of this formulation will treat up 
to 40,000 sq/ft (about an acre). If you have been using Tempo
for awhile, you need to change to another active ingredient.
PERMETHRIN PRO is a great choice. It is low odor, goes a long
way and will provide quick knockdown of active insects.
Use a 20 GALLON HOSE END SPRAYER to apply these products
evenly and efficiently. Remember, they need wet soil for best
penetration of turf so applying them right after a rain is
suggested. Use BIFEN GRANULES for long term effect. These 
slow release granules will enter the turf over time and provide
continuous control of grubs long after liquid treatments are
gone. Use a regular granule spreader or one of our hand held 
like the GRANULE APPLICATORS to apply the Bifen Granules. When 
combined  with liquid treatments, you will be
attacking the armadillos food supply immediately and into
the future. This will cause local armadillos to find
food elsewhere or risk starvation. Although repellents
and treatment of turf are passive approaches to controlling
armadillos, they will work.  In most cases they will
force the animal to find another food supply and to leave 
your yard alone. However, every now and then you will
encounter an Armadillo which is simply too stubborn and
will force you into using extreme measures in order to
reclaim your turf.
   If the armadillos are simply too much and you cannot wait
for passive control measures to take effect, the use of 
a live trap will provide quick control. Simply place the
trap where the animal is digging. Bait it with apples, 
bananas or other over ripe fruit. Our LOGANBERRY LURE is
a blend of many fruits which armadillos cannot resist and
will surely lure them into any trap. This paste is easy to
apply and releases a strong aroma armadillos are sure to
find. Of course, if the target animals have been digging
in the yard and turf, use our GRUB BAIT. Since this lure 
smells like grubs, nuisance armadillo will find it fast.

There are several traps which will work for armadillos.
The simplest is the LT111230. This trap will work well for
opossum, cats and armadillo. It will work for small raccoon
as well. This trap features a great trip mechanism which will
assuredly keep anything caught and it has a rear release door
which allows for quick releases. If you think you will be
using the trap for other animals as well which might be
larger, consider the LT111236. This trap is slightly longer
but also features a rear release door which is very
convenient for releasing trapped animals. Both traps feature
strong wire construction with a sturdy frame, locking door
and excellent trip mechanism. The set can be adjusted on
either trap to work for both light or heavy animals. The true
commercial grade trap is the NH2361.  The NH2361 is
the strongest trap you could ever need. It is very heavy
and will keep any opossum, raccoon, beaver, cat, small dog,
otter or squirrel from escaping. This model is suggested
if you suspect other animals are active in your yard and
you may be trapping several of them over time. Because the
NH2361 provides such a wide range of target animals, you
will serve yourself the best with this model if you intend
on trapping many different animals over a long period of
time. The easiest trap to use is one that fits directly
over dens or boroughs Armadillo are using for their home.
This trap will essentially force the targeted animal into
the holding area because you can configure it to allow
animals through the bottom only. If you have a den or
hole through which armadillo are traveling, the LT111236BD
may be the best trap for you. It's easy to set, doesn't
need bait to work and works great for any ground nesting
animal like armadillo, woodchucks, prairie dogs, etc.
   Trap placement needs to be where the animal is active. 
This is usually in the yard where they are digging or
around a den you know is active. Armadillo don't see
well and require fence lines, structures and pathways
for most of their travel. These pathways can allow
for the easiest way to trap these animals. Simply 
place your trap along the pathway and most armadillo
will walk right inside the trap! Many armadillo have
been caught by setting a trap along their path and then
placing 2x6's on their side in front of the trap extending
away from the traps entrance. This "funnel" will channel
the armadillo into the trap and will allow you to
catch the animal without using bait! It is not because
armadillos are dumb as much as it is they can't see well.
This lack of vision requires them to forage based on 
set patterns and learned routes. This weakness and pattern
of behavior can also be used to set some kill traps. 
Using the funneling set, a kill trap will provide a
quick kill over and over again. When you have a specific
pattern they are following along a fence line or through
a fence or other hole, consider some BODYGRIP TRAPS. These
are readily used by professional trappers and basically 
work by crushing the target animal instantly. Death is
quick and rarely do they miss. Since armadillo will be
traveling on the ground, use BODYGRIP TRAP STANDS to
get the trap right where it needs to be. These will
keep the trap steady and secure. The 220 is usually
all that is needed for armadillo but if you have some
large ones, get the 330. Also, the springs on these
traps are hard to compress with common household
tools so a BODYGRIP TRAP SETTER is strongly recommended.
Use some of the Loganberry or Grub Bait on either side
of the set and make sets in early evening. These will
clearly pose a hazard to non-target animals like dogs
and cats so be sure and keep any pets away when trapping. 

   Armadillos can be a nuisance around the home. Although
they appear innocent and cute when first sighted, their
smell is offensive and their digging can create massive
damage to plants and trees. Once feeding routes and patterns
are established, armadillos can be tough to repel. Try
liquid Ropel and dry Armadillo Granules for small areas. If the
armadillos are damaging randomly throughout your yard, use
both the Whole Control and the Granules at the same
time. Treat the lawn to kill the food source which
is luring the armadillo in the first place for better 
results. Use Tempo and Permethrin Pro for quick control
in the turf and Bifen Granules for the long term. If
immediate results is necessary, trapping will provide
instant control. The LT111230 is adequate for most
situations. Use the NH2361 and the LT111236 if you suspect
other animals are active in the yard and may be caught
as well. Incorporate Ultra Sound if you want long term
control with little maintenance since it is both easy
to use and effective at keeping away unwanted animals.

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