ABOUT MOLES

There are seven types of moles in North America.  The most common in our area is the Scalopus Aquaticus also referred to as the Eastern Mole.  The Eastern Mole will be our topic because this is the one that is digging what seems like full basements in your lawn.  

A mature mole will weigh about 4 to 6 ounces and grow to a length of about 4 to 6 inches with a life expectancy of about 3 years.  A males home range is about 2.7 acres and a females is about 0.7 acres.  They mate once a year in the early spring with litters ranging from 2 to 5.  Their gestation period is about 5 to 6 weeks.  The young will leave their nest at a month old and reach sexual maturity at age 1.  They may stay with their mother for a short period before leaving in search of other tunnel systems and to make their own.  This dispersal of young, which can last from spring on into the fall, is when you could receive the most damage to your lawn.  A study here in Kentucky found that Scalopus Aquaticus has daily activity peaks from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00  a.m.. 

TUNNELS

The mole will dig two types of tunnels, surface and deep.  The surface tunnels are the raised ridges in your lawn that feel soft when stepped on.  These are primarily used for foraging.  Deep tunnels are the moles main runways and the ones they use when it is especially dry in the summer and when the ground freezes in the winter.  These tunnels can range anywhere from 5 - 20 inches deep and are not usually visible on the surface.  What is visible is the excess dirt that the mole removes to construct these tunnels.  These huge mounds of dirt are what can really drive you nuts.  The moles will make their nests along these deep tunnel runs, usually beneath a stump or root clump.  They line their nests with dried grass and leaves for bedding.  Foraging tunnels will branch off from the main tunnel.  These tunnels are usually revisited but its not uncommon for them to be used only once.  Moles are extremely powerful for their size.  They can dig a new surface tunnel at a rate of about 18 feet per hour.  They can travel through existing tunnels at a rate of about 80 feet per minute.  In a days time they can dig as much as 150 to 200 feet of new surface tunnels.  

BEHAVIOR

The moles natural habitat is woodland.  They work around the clock on a schedule of a few hours of work followed by a few hours of rest.  They do this because of their high metabolism, which attributes to their short life span.  A mole will take the path of least resistance, so if there is an existing tunnel system it may just move in, which could be bad luck for you if you’ve had moles in the past and thought you may have gotten rid of them.  Several moles may share tunnel systems.  Since moles are always digging new tunnels in search of food, the current amount of damage to your lawn is not an indicator as to how many moles may be present.  Old tunnel systems could also become homes for mice, chipmunks, ground hornets, yellow jackets, or bumble bees.  

WHAT THEY EAT

Moles are said to be insectivores, but studies on captive moles have shown that they will eat soaked corn, lean beef, fish, fresh or salted pork, mice, frogs, and even small snakes.  But in the wild they primarily feed on insects, larva, grubs, and earthworms.  This is why treating your lawn for grubs won’t rid you of your mole problem.  Moles will eat anywhere from 25 to 100 percent of their own weight in insects and worms a day.  A mature mole can eat 45 to 50 pounds of insects and worms a year.  
 

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Stomach Contents Found in 100 Eastern Moles