You step outside in the morning and find a cluster of shallow holes punched across your lawn overnight. Mulch and grass are kicked up around the edges. Nothing’s been eaten, nothing’s chewed, just dug. That kind of damage almost always points to an armadillo in Texas. These animals care less about your landscaping and more about the grubs and earthworms living just beneath it.
This guide walks through how to recognize the signs and what’s actually driving the digging. It also covers what Texas law allows you to do about it and when it’s worth calling in professional help.
Key Takeaways
- Shallow, scattered holes and disturbed mulch, not chewed plants, point to an armadillo rather than a mole or gopher.
- Soft, well-watered soil packed with grubs and earthworms keeps an armadillo coming back, even after you clear visible debris.
- Texas lets you trap an armadillo on your own property, but relocating one legally requires notifying Texas Parks and Wildlife.
- Removing food sources and brush piles helps, but repeat digging near a foundation means it’s time to call a professional.
How to Spot Armadillo Damage in a Texas Yard
Armadillo damage is easy to mistake for another yard pest at first glance. A closer look at the holes and burrows usually settles it.
What Armadillo Holes and Digging Look Like
Armadillo damage has a distinct look. Instead of mounds like a mole or gopher leaves behind, an armadillo digs small, shallow pits. These pits are usually an inch or two deep and a few inches wide. They’re scattered loosely across a lawn or garden bed in a wandering pattern. You might also notice rooted-up mulch, disturbed flower beds, or torn-up patches near tree roots where grubs tend to cluster.
Spotting an Armadillo Burrow
Burrows are the other telltale sign. They typically run 7 to 8 inches in diameter and stretch up to 15 feet long. They’re commonly dug near rock piles, stumps, brush piles, or building foundations. Armadillos dig several burrows within their territory to use as escape routes. Finding more than one opening on a property isn’t unusual.
The Damage an Armadillo Can Cause
Once you’ve confirmed an armadillo is behind the digging, it helps to know what to expect. Damage shows up in the yard, but it isn’t only there.
Lawn, Garden, and Foundation Damage
Most armadillo damage falls into a few categories. They dig in lawns, golf courses, vegetable gardens, and flower beds while searching for food. A few nights of activity can leave a yard looking pockmarked. Burrowing under foundations, driveways, and other structures can also cause damage. This often happens when a burrow runs beneath a slab, patio, or shed footing. Over time, the empty space can create a void that settles.
The Leprosy Risk Tied to Armadillos
Armadillos are among the only animals known to contract and carry leprosy. CDC research on zoonotic leprosy describes the transfer between armadillos and humans as rare and inefficient, though not impossible. That’s reason enough to leave direct contact, alive or dead, to someone with the right equipment. Don’t pick one up by hand.
Why Armadillos Show Up in Texas Yards
Armadillos don’t dig at random. Understanding what draws them to a property in the first place makes it easier to keep them from coming back.
Soil and Water Conditions That Draw Armadillos In
Armadillos live throughout most of Texas, except for the far western Trans-Pecos region. They thrive almost anywhere the ground is soft enough to dig. They won’t settle into areas where the soil is too hard. That makes irrigated lawns, garden beds, and mulched landscaping appealing. Heavy rain or regular watering keeps soil workable and grub populations high. That gives armadillos a steady food source close to home.
What Armadillos Are Actually Looking For
More than 90% of an armadillo’s diet is insect matter. That includes earthworms, beetle larvae, ants, and other invertebrates. Small amounts of fruit and tender plant roots round out the rest. Armadillos have almost no hair to help regulate body temperature. Because of this, they forage during summer evenings and on warm summer afternoons. That’s typically when you’re most likely to spot one in the yard.
Is It Legal to Trap or Remove an Armadillo in Texas?
Once you’ve decided to deal with the armadillo, it’s worth knowing what Texas law allows before you set a trap.
What’s Legal to Do Yourself
Armadillos are classified as nuisance, nongame wildlife in Texas, and trapping one on your property is legal at any time. Relocation is the part that requires an extra step. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department requires authorization from the department. You’ll also need permission from the property owner where the animal will be released.
Why Many Homeowners Call a Professional Instead
In practice, this is one reason many homeowners hire a licensed wildlife control provider. It saves them from handling the job solo. A professional already knows the local notification process and has the right traps and bait on hand. They also know where to place equipment so it actually works. Cage traps are most effective when set in trails near fences or buildings, or right at a burrow entrance. Boards on either side can help funnel the animal in.
How to Prevent Armadillo Damage at Home
Whether or not you’ve dealt with one armadillo, a few yard changes make it less likely another moves in.
Reducing the Food Source That Attracts Armadillos
Since armadillos follow their food source, reducing grubs and other soil insects is one of the most effective long-term deterrents. Once that food source is gone, armadillos usually move on to search elsewhere. Digging can briefly pick up right before they leave an area. Don’t be surprised if things look slightly worse before they get better.
A Few Other Steps That Help
- Clear brush piles, rock piles, and tall grass, since armadillos dig burrows in areas with this kind of cover.
- Consider a buried barrier if digging is concentrated in one area. The City of Cedar Hill’s guidance on nuisance wildlife recommends a fence angled outward, buried at least 12 inches deep. Add roughly 24 inches of fencing above ground, since armadillos are strong, persistent diggers.
- Water lawns less often if possible, since moist soil holds more grubs and is easier for armadillos to dig through.
- Avoid handling an armadillo directly, dead or alive, given the leprosy risk noted above.
Armadillo in Texas: Bottom Line
A single set of holes after a rainy week often resolves on its own. The ground dries out and grubs move deeper. What doesn’t resolve on its own is an armadillo that’s decided your yard is a reliable food source. That includes burrows near a foundation and holes that keep reappearing after you clear brush and food sources. It also includes digging that’s getting worse instead of better.
At that point, the fastest path to a fixed yard is also the safest one. Proper trapping and handling, done in line with Texas’s notification rules, beats guesswork with a borrowed cage trap. It also keeps you from having to deal with the animal directly.
If you’re seeing repeated digging but aren’t sure what’s causing it, PCI Pest Control can inspect your property for signs of pest activity, identify conditions attracting wildlife, and determine whether another pest is responsible for the damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does armadillo damage look like in a yard?
Armadillo damage typically appears as small, shallow, cone-shaped holes scattered across a lawn or garden bed. You may also see disturbed mulch and rooted-up patches near tree roots. It’s different from mole or gopher damage, which usually shows up as raised mounds rather than open holes.
Are armadillos dangerous to humans or pets?
Armadillos generally avoid people and aren’t aggressive. They can carry the bacterium associated with leprosy, though transmission to humans is considered rare. They’re more likely to startle and jump when surprised than to act defensively toward a person or pet.
Can I trap and relocate an armadillo myself in Texas?
You can legally trap an armadillo on your own property. Relocating it requires notifying Texas Parks and Wildlife Department first. You’ll also need permission from the landowner where you plan to release it. Many homeowners find it simpler to have a wildlife control professional handle the entire process.
What attracts armadillos to a yard in the first place?
Armadillos follow grubs, earthworms, and other soil insects, so yards with soft, regularly watered soil tend to attract more activity. Brush piles, rock piles, and tall grass also give them cover to dig burrows nearby.
How do I know if it’s an armadillo and not another digging animal?
Look at the hole shape and burrow size. Armadillo digging tends to be scattered, shallow pits rather than raised mounds. Their burrows typically run 7 to 8 inches wide. Three-toed tracks near the holes are another clue. Armadillo prints look distinct from the paw prints left by moles, gophers, or skunks.
