By ANDREW HENSEL for the Illinois Radio Network

CARBONDALE, Ill. (IRN) — A new summer sport for Illinois: Armadillo spotting. 

Dr. Agustin Jimenez, associate professor of biological sciences at Southern Illinois University, said armadillos have been seen all across Illinois. They are elusive and stealthy. And they prefer the dark. 

“It’s difficult to find one if you are actively looking for them,” Jimenez told The Center Square.

Scientists have no idea how many armadillos there are in Illinois, but the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has collected sighting reports from a number of different counties – particularly in southern Illinois. Carbondale is an epicenter for the critters.

In Texas, people hate them because they dig up flower beds, Jimenez said. With their highly developed sense of smell, armadillos hunt insect larvae, maggots and earthworms.

They can detect insects that are four to six inches underground. Armadillos don’t eat fruits and vegetables, but they upend plants and ruin gardens when they are rooting around for insects.

Armadillos are about the size of a cat. They look like possums covered with beige body armor shells. Three million years ago armadillo ancestors – twice as big as the armadillos that we see today – roamed the Midwest. The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago has fossils that were found in Indiana and Missouri.

An armadillo’s eyesight is terrible – they only see shadows. People can get fairly close to them. They are easy to capture on video. 

There is no reason to be afraid of them, Jimenez said.

“They don’t bite. They won’t bite anyone,” he said. “Their teeth are very weak.” 

Like anteaters, they pick up larvae and bugs with their sticky tongues. 

“They basically slurp the insects,” Jimenez said. 

Don’t be tempted to pick an armadillo up. 

“They will jump and wriggle around. You can get scratched,” Jimenez warned. “Their claws are exposed to all sorts of nasty bacteria that can get in your blood.” 

If an armadillo gets in a fight with a dog, the armadillo will lose, Jimenez said. But the dog runs the risk of infection from the armadillo’s claws. 

If you shoot an armadillo or find a dead one, don’t touch the carcass unless you are wearing gloves, Jimenez advised. There is a risk of tetanus and leprosy from contact with armadillo blood. Leprosy is quite difficult for humans to contract. It would be rare for a person to become infected with leprosy through contact with an armadillo, but the risk is real, Jimenez said.

Armadillos are mainly forest dwellers. They may build their burrows under sheds or decks where people live, but they won’t hang around. They will move on after a couple of weeks, Jimenez said.

Their preferred habitat is near a streambed or creek. They are good swimmers and can hold their breaths for long periods of time. Jimenez believes the armadillos came to Illinois by following the riverbanks north from Texas.

People who find armadillos in their yards can call their county animal control for help getting rid of them, Jimenez said.