Leave that dildo alone. (I know it's a typo and I'm leaving it)

Armadillos offer several benefits to ecosystems and humans, despite their reputation as pests:

## Ecological Benefits

Armadillos are important ecosystem engineers. Their burrows provide shelter for at least 64 other species, including bobcats, foxes, opossums, and various birds[3]. This increases local biodiversity and creates habitats for other animals.

## Pest Control

Armadillos are natural pest controllers. They consume large quantities of insects, including:

- Ants (including fire ants)

- Beetles

- Grubs

- Termites

- Scorpions

- Spiders[1][2][4]

A single nine-banded armadillo can eat thousands of ants in one meal[7]. This helps farmers by reducing crop damage from pests like scarab beetles[2].

## Scientific Research

Armadillos serve as important research subjects. They are the only known animal model for studying leprosy, which aids in developing vaccines and tracing the disease's progression[2].

## Food Source

Armadillos are a food source for endangered species like the Florida panther[2]. Some cultures also consider armadillo meat a delicacy, with some claiming it's superior to pork when properly cooked[1].

While armadillos can cause lawn damage, their overall ecological benefits often outweigh the drawbacks. Their presence can indicate higher local biodiversity, which is linked to various human health benefits[3].

Citations:

[1] Benefits of Armadillos | South Carolina Public Radio https://www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/show/making-it-grow/2015-01-09/benefits-of-armadillos

[2] Armadillo Benefits & Detriments to Humans and the Ecosystem https://outwitcritters.com/armadillo/155-armadillo-benefits-detriments-to-humans-and-the-ecosystem

[3] Armadillos Make Great Neighbors - The Revelator https://therevelator.org/armadillos-neighbors/

[4] Nine-Banded Armadillo | National Wildlife Federation https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Nine-Banded-Armadillo

[5] Armadillos: Nuisance or Necessary? - The Critter Team https://thecritterteam.com/armadillos-nuisance-or-necessary/

[6] Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/dillo/

[7] 5 reasons why armadillos are awesome - National Geographic Kids https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/5-reasons-why/article/5-reasons-why-armadillos-are-awesome

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Those little shits will ruin a yard.

I see a lot of those back home in South Carolina

These things are surprisingly FAST.

I rolled up on one late one night in our driveway and I thought he would just waddle away slowly.

But nope!

He skipped jumped his butt lightning fast