If you’ve been driving south of the Missouri River this spring, chances are you’ve seen armadillos along the roadside. The name “Armadillo” is Spanish for “little armored one", named for their hard outer shell.
Of the twenty varieties of armadillos found in Central and South America, only one species has made a home in our country and state, the nine-banded armadillo.They're named for nine narrow plates in their mid-section that gives them flexibility.
The nine-banded armadillo first arrived in Texas in the mid-1800's, but it didn’t stop its northward invasion there. By the 1980's, armadillos were becoming familiar sights as far north as southern Missouri and southeast Kansas.
Armadillos have poor eyesight but good hearing. Their strong sense of smell is useful for locating prey such as earthworms, ants, and grubs. Strong claws on their front feet make them excellent burrowers.
Armadillos have a habit of jumping straight up when frightened. They're often killed by leaping into vehicles passing overhead while crossing the road.
You can find information on dealing with nuisance problems with armadillos on our MDC website.
Learn how to deal with nuisance armadillo problems.