Moles prefer to dig, disappear underground
September 2, 2001

Few people have ever seen a mole. They seldom come above ground. It is only when their long meandering ridges, that mark the roofs of their tunnels, appear in lawns that they suddenly become of interest.

Evidence of their presence can be seen at Woodland Dunes along the Goldenrod Trail that leads from the Marsh Haus.

Commonly called just "mole" in Wisconsin, it is also labeled the /Eastern or Common mole.

Built for digging underground, the animal has heavy shoulders with a long-snouted head and no distinct neck.

The short, muscular front legs have large shovel feet and toes with heavy claws. Webbing between the toes aid in digging. They are about the size of a small rat. The body is covered with short velvety fur. The hairs are hinged, allowing the animal to move forward or backward in their tunnels with no resistance. Colors may vary from silver to black to copper. Identifying them poses no problem.

Finding a live one might. Moles caught above ground don't run. They dig down underground and disappear almost immediately.

Moles prefer fields, meadows, pastures and open woodland. They are not found in stony or gravelly soil or in clay, but frequent moist, sandy and loamy soil.

As an insectivore, this animal eats larvae of many insect pests. They prefer worms which are grasped in the mouth by one end and chewed down like spaghetti, making no effort to wipe off the dirt. The mole often kills beetles and other active prey by crushing them against the side of the burrow or piling soil on top of them and biting off their heads.

It's their tunneling habit that gets them in trouble if they invade human-made landscapes. In natural settings their activities go unnoticed.

Tunnels are of two kinds, surface, which are just exploratory or a feeding area. These may resemble varicose veins going in all directions.

This damage comes and goes with the seasons. The deep or permanent tunnels are made in more compact soil and require much time and labor.

It is in the construction of these that "molehills" are formed as the animal digs ahead and then reverses itself and piles the soil at the surface.

Moles work both day and night, probably hardest in the daytime when worms and insects are stirring. that makes them hungry. Moles often eat two-thirds of their weight in a day. In comparison it has been figured that a 150 pound human would need to eat 60 to 120 pounds of meat and vegetables every day.

Moles can become a problem in landscaped areas. If left unattended it can reach a stage of complete disaster. Trapping is the only recommended procedure for getting rid of them. If an area is infested this might not prove a permanent cure as other moles move into the old tunnels.

Moles have thief place in nature...just not in my backyard.