Armadillos cause for sleeplees nights.

COUNTRYSIDE: When my brother and his wife decided to build their retirement dream home in a wooded area in southern Texas, they didn't anticipate that they would also inherit an endless supply of armadillos.

With a scenic landscape overlooking a babbling brook, the place resembles something out of Better Homes and Gardens. But keeping it looking great was proving to be quite a challenge.

In order to keep the armadillos in check, they often stayed up late into the night lying in wait for the culprits. After many sleepless nights, and many armadillos later, my brother decided to try something different. He set out a wire trap in hopes that one might accidentally get trapped. Within a few days he caught one. Then another, and another. Before long it was as if the Pied Piper had come to town.

My brother concluded that the armadillos were attracted to the scent left by their predecessors. I don't know if this revelation is old news or not, but this method of dealing with armadillos seems to work quite well. "Sure beats those sleepless nights," says my brother.--J. Janak, Hallettsville, Texas