Friday, August 20, 2010

Flora and Fauna Friday - Nine-banded Armadillo

Flora and Fauna Friday - Nine-banded Armadillo

The Nine-banded Armadillo is the most widespread of the armadillos. It is a solitary, mainly nocturnal animal, found in many kinds of habitats. It is an insectivorous animal, feeding chiefly on ants, termites and other small invertebrates. The armadillo can jump 3-4 feet straight in the air if sufficiently frightened, making it a particular danger on roads.



The following is from: http://stateoftheozarks.net/NaturalHeritage/Critters_Furry.html

Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)

Length: head and body, 15-17.5 inches; tail, 13-15.5 inches.
What to look for: bony plates on body, tail, and top of head; large ears; long, squarish snout.
Habitat: brushy or rocky areas; forests (pines in East).

— page 44, Wernett, Susan J., et al. North American Wildlife. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., 1986.



"May each of us have a Homeplace to hold onto, if only in our minds."

Bill ;-)

2 comments:

  1. Bill - at one time I had quite a collection of armadillos - ceramic, stuffed, brass, sculpted - you name it. I even had an infamous armadillo hat. Why collect armadillos? Because no one else outside of Texas collected them! Thanks for sharing about this little critter.

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  2. And I have a raccoon collection... quite a pair! ;-)

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