The Nine-Banded Armadillo

The nine-banded armadillo is the most common mammal in Florida, occurring throughout most of the state except for the Everglades and Big Cypress swamp. The species is known for its armor, which consists of strong bony plates called scutes that cover the head, body and tail. They are shaped like a turtle’s shell, and have narrow, jointed bands that bend with the animal as it moves.

This unique adaptation, along with the armadillo’s small size and nocturnal habits, make the nine-banded a favorite of many people who live in Florida. It is a symbol of the state’s motto, “In God We Trust.” Elizabeth Bishop wrote a series of poems on the subject while living at Fazenda Samambaia, a farm in Brazil where she was inspired to write by the natural world around her. She also admired the armadillo’s scaly, armored exterior and its ability to dig into the ground.

Armadillos are able to dig into the ground using the tips of their front feet, which have long claws and peg-like nails. They can even dig through solid concrete. They are solitary animals, but will pair up during the mating season in late summer. Females produce one egg per breeding season, which hatches after a four-month gestation period. The young are identical quadruplets. Young armadillos are soft and leathery, but will harden as they mature.

In the wild, armadillos are often preyed upon by large birds of prey, snakes and other predators. They have been known to use their armor to ward off attacks. When frightened, they may curl up into a tight ball, but are more likely to run away from their attackers. They are also able to inflate their intestines to help them swim across shallow creeks and streams.

While a good portion of their diet is composed of roots, grubs, beetles and worms, armadillos are known to supplement their meals with fruits, tubers, seeds, the eggs and young of other mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and insects including termites. They can even break into a termite mound to eat the insect larvae inside.

Scientists have observed armadillos traveling up to 60 meters (about 100 yards) to enter and eat the termites in a mound. While this may seem like a long distance for an insect to travel, termites are very small and a great food source for armadillos.

Baby armadillos have soft shells, which will become harder as they grow, depositing bone under the skin to form the shell. This process is called ossification.

In addition to their natural defenses, armadillos can also hold their breath for several minutes and walk underwater to cross creeks and rivers. The armadillo’s unusual abilities have made it a popular figure in folklore and legend.

The armadillo’s leathery, protective skin is also a favorite material for dolls and figurines. Some of the most famous are Astrojack, an anthropomorphic rabbit, and his friend Astrodillo, the Houston Astros’ mascots in the 1980s. They both wore the Astros’ rainbow uniforms and raced around the Astrodome before and during games and intermissions.