Armadillo Biology, Management, and Disease in the Panhandle

Samantha M. Wisely, State Wildlife Extension Specialist, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida

Armadillos are pre-historic looking, non-native mammals found throughout Florida (Figure 1). They became established in Florida after a pair of armadillos escaped from a zoo in Cocoa Beach in 1924. Escaped pets and intentional releases occurred throughout the 1920’s and 30’s. By the 1950’s, armadillos were common in the Panhandle and throughout Florida.

Figure 1. Adult nine-banded armadillo. Credit: Tom Friedel – Credit: www.birdphotos.com via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

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Armadillo Biology

Armadillos eat insects, grubs, ants, and worms – anything that lives in the first few inches of soil or leaf litter. They use their powerful front paws with long claws or their long sharp nose to dig and root in the soil. Because the invertebrates that they eat are attracted to well fertilized and watered soils, so are armadillos. The digging behavior for food causes damage to pastures, turf farms, golf courses, lawns, and gardens.  In addition, armadillos make large burrows, often under human-made structures which can occasionally make foundations unstable. These behaviors are what makes armadillos one of Florida’s biggest pest species!

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Armadillo Control

Controlling armadillos takes time and effort. Fencing can be used around highly sensitive areas. Fences should be about two feet high and buried about 18 inches. Repellents are sold commercially, but they are generally thought to be effective for only a short time, if at all. Relocation or humanely killing armadillos is legal in Florida. Contact a licensed professional pest control company to conduct control on your property or call your local Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission office for details on how to best control armadillos yourself.

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Figure 2. A map of Florida showing the 20 counties where a total of 104 human cases of leprosy have been reported from 2013-2020. Both Bay and Taylor Counties have reported cases of leprosy, in Northwest Florida. More than half of all cases came from Brevard County (large star).

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Leprosy from Armadillos

Armadillos in Florida carry the bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae, which is the causative agent of human leprosy. Leprosy, also called Hansen’s disease, has increased substantially in Florida and cases have been recorded in the panhandle (Figure 2). Some cases of leprosy are imported from travelers that have been in a country where the disease is endemic, but the largest proportion of cases each year are locally acquired in Florida. Armadillos are thought to be the main source of local transmission. While the bacteria does not impact armadillos, the infection in humans causes a thickening of the skin and nerve damage (Figure 3). Eye infections can cause blindness. If caught early, the infection can be easily stopped with antibiotics.

Figure 3. A patient with leprosy or Hansen’s disease. The thickened skin can be reddish or pale in appearance. Credit: Adobe stock photos.

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While some cases in Florida involve people handling armadillos or armadillo meat, multiple human cases in Florida involve patients with no known history of travel to an area with leprosy or of handling of armadillos. Many of them, however, have a common history of gardening. An emerging question is whether armadillo feces can contaminate garden soil which then transmits the bacteria to gardeners. It is therefore recommended that Florida gardeners wear gloves and wash their hands after gardening. And if you handle an armadillo or an armadillo trap, make sure to wear gloves and wash your hands.

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Interested in learning more? Check out these publications through the links provided:

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Stevenson, H.M. and Crawford, R.L., 1974. Spread of the armadillo into the Tallahassee-Thomasville area. Florida Field Naturalist, 2, pp.8-10.

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Baiting and Trapping Armadillos

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Leprosy in Florida