Quick Scoop: What do armadillos eat?

Armadillos mostly eat insects and other small invertebrates, especially beetles, ants, termites, grubs, worms, spiders, and cockroaches. They also eat some plant foods and, occasionally, small animals or eggs.

Main diet

Armadillos are mainly insectivores, so the bulk of their diet comes from animal prey found in soil and leaf litter. Common foods include beetles, ants, grasshoppers, termites, earthworms, snails, spiders, and insect larvae.

Other foods

They will also eat roots, fungi, fruit, seeds, and tender plant matter when it is available. Some species and individuals may also take small reptiles, amphibians, bird eggs, and even carrion opportunistically.

How they find food

Armadillos use a strong sense of smell and their digging claws to root through soil for hidden prey. That digging behavior is also why they can leave holes in lawns and gardens while searching for food.

In one line

If you want the simplest answer: armadillos eat mostly bugs, worms, and other soil-dwelling creatures, with a little fruit, roots, and other extras mixed in.

Meta description: Armadillos mostly eat insects, worms, and other invertebrates, but they also eat roots, fruit, eggs, and small animals when available.

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