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Funded Project

Funding Program: Enhancement Grants - Special Projects

Project Title: Identification of semiochemicals mediating attraction and aversion in the nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus L.

Project Director (PD): Russell F. Mizell [1]

Lead State: FL Lead Organization: University of Florida, NFREC-Quincy

Undesignated Funding: $23,125

Start Date: Mar-01-2008 End Date: Feb-28-2009

No-Cost Extension Date: Feb-28-2010

Pests Involved: armadillo

Site/Commodity: turf, lawn, landscape, homeowner

Area of Emphasis: behavior, detection/monitoring

Summary: The nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus L., is an invasive mammalian pest in Florida and much of the southern U.S. Armadillo foraging activity causes destruction in a wide range of locations, including sod farms, golf courses, sports fields, nurseries, orange groves, cemeteries, lawns and gardens. Additionally, armadillos cause structural instabilities by digging burrows around and under buildings, and are responsible for reductions in bobwhite quail populations. Armadillos are one of the most significant nuisance pests in Florida and the Southeast, comprising a large proportion of public complaints against wildlife in GA even greater than whitetailed deer. Nine-banded armadillos are also of medical concern because they are the only endemic natural host other than humans of the bacteria that causes leprosy. Leprosy has been detected in armadillos from South and Central America, TX, AK, LA, and MS. The mode of transmission of leprosy remains unknown. There are no methods to effectively deter, capture, or monitor armadillos. Preliminary data indicates that chemicals emitted from excretions, scent glands, and food materials may attract armadillos. We propose to investigate the behavior of armadillos with the goal of identifying semiochemicals that could be exploited to develop either baits or repellents useful in reducing human-armadillo conflicts. The identification of novel attractants or repellents could lead to improved monitoring and management methods and facilitate medical research on leprosy. Given success in identification of such compounds, there is great potential for generating commercial interest in patented materials and additional funding. Objectives: 1.Develop an effective methodology for behavioral bioassays to investigate armadillo response to odors and other sensory cues under semi-natural conditions. 2.Use these techniques to identify semiochemicals and other sensory cues that produce behavioral responses in armadillos.

Final Report:

Impacts The relative ability of a variety of substances to attract armadillos was assessed. As a result of this research a number of methods were tested and deemed inadequate, but several new bioassys were developed to further the study of armadillo behavior. A number of attractive substances were identified that may be of use further behavioral research. These analyses provide further insight into the possibility of identifying an effective bait to attract nuisance armadillos in the future. This data should provide the support for a proposal to fund further research on this important pest problem.

Outcomes Using three different metrics to assess the relative ability of a variety of substances to attract armadillos, we found that 6 materials consistently performed best: pond worms, wigglers, big red worms, red worms, and crickets. All of these items are commercially available from bait stores and pet stores, and therefore are readily accessible to individuals interested in baiting nuisance armadillos into traps. However, it should be noted that our investigation of materials that could be exploited to develop baits useful in reducing human-armadillo conflicts was only partially successful. Although hypothetically, isolation of a material highly attractive to armadillos has the potential to increase trapping success of nuisance armadillos over current rates, we believe it is unlikely that any material could attract armadillos over a sizeable distance. During the course of our research, it became apparent that armadillos have an extremely short perceptual range. For this reason, we believe that there is fairly limited potential for using baits to effectively attract armadillos into traps.

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