The armadillo is a mammal immediately recognizable by the bony, protective plates that form a carapace over its body. This unique creature, whose name translates from Spanish as “little armored one,” inhabits a wide range across the Americas, from the southern United States through Central and South America. Armadillos are specialized creatures whose daily routines are governed by the need to find food and maintain a stable body temperature. Understanding their activity requires considering the environmental factors that modify their schedule.
Primary Activity Patterns
Armadillos are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, meaning their highest periods of activity occur around dusk and dawn and continue throughout the night. This is the default pattern for the common nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) when environmental conditions are moderate. Activity is almost entirely dedicated to foraging for insects and small invertebrates.
The armadillo relies on an acute sense of smell to locate prey, as it has poor eyesight. To find a meal, it moves with its snout close to the ground, sniffing out grubs and larvae beneath the soil surface. This search for subterranean prey leaves behind characteristic shallow, cone-shaped holes, typically 1 to 3 inches deep. The nocturnal schedule minimizes exposure to predators and avoids the high temperatures of the midday sun.
How Temperature Dictates Activity Shifts
The armadillo’s activity schedule is flexible and influenced by external temperature due to its limited ability to regulate its own body heat. These mammals are imperfect homeotherms, possessing low body fat and a slow metabolic rate compared to other mammals. This makes them sensitive to thermal extremes, meaning air temperature significantly determines when they emerge from their burrows.
When temperatures are colder, such as during winter or in the northern parts of their range, armadillos shift their schedule to become more diurnal, or active during the day. This shift allows them to bask in the sun and absorb solar heat, warming their bodies to a functional temperature. Conversely, during periods of extreme heat, armadillos reduce overall activity and seek refuge underground to avoid overheating. This behavioral adaptation overrides their typical nocturnal pattern to prioritize thermal stability, ensuring survival across a broad geographic range.
Daytime Resting and Burrow Use
During periods of inactivity, typically the daytime in mild weather, the armadillo retreats to its burrow. This subterranean refuge provides thermal stability and protection. Armadillos are skilled excavators, using powerful front claws to construct extensive tunnel systems up to 25 feet long and 7 feet deep. The burrow entrance is typically a round hole measuring 5 to 8 inches in diameter.
The burrows serve multiple functions, including rest, shelter from predators, and raising young. An individual may maintain multiple burrows within its territory, sometimes up to 12 different sites. These include one primary nesting burrow, which is more elaborate, and several temporary burrows used for quick rest or to escape danger. The time spent in a burrow varies seasonally; armadillos may spend 30% of their time underground in the summer, increasing to 65% in the winter to conserve heat.