Garden Enemy #2

It's been a while now since our raccoon friend, garden enemy #1, has been visiting the backyard, munching around the compost bin and ripping the porch screen to get at the trash. The porch incident was a couple years back and was probably the first time we met him. We learned our lesson and the trash was never kept outback again.

He would show up again from time to time and most recently we caught him red handed inside the compost pile. So, naturally it was the raccoon who I believed to be digging little holes all over the freshly planted garden and throughout the rest of the yard.

But I may have blamed him to quickly for those little holes, after all, I haven't seen much evidence of him around the compost lately. It seems, however, that every other morning I wake up to find something had dug fresh new holes in the garden. They are random holes and some of them right where I have veggies planted.

(Garden hole)

After some discussion with a fellow gardener and some research it seems that we have a new friend roaming the backyard in the dark of the night. A critter that I've seen many times around the wilds of the airport and enjoys sniffing out his snack in fresh dirt. Yes, garden enemy #2 is...................(drum roll please)....................Armadillo!

Armadillos love to dig and rely on their sense of smell to find worms and grubs in the ground. Further evidence of the 'dillo was found near the back fence line where a deep hole was found, likely his home. Yes, our new friend was living just a few short steps away, coming out to play while we slumbered away.

So how do you control this little guy/gal??? You fill in their big comfy hole with dirt (after you've shined a flashlight in it to make sure you don't bury them alive), put up more chicken wire along the fence line and spray the area with hot pepper wax spray that will drive their little noses crazy!

(Backyard home)