Eastern subterranean mole stays active year round

Did you know that moles work all year long?

Even in the coldest of temperatures they need to keep eating to maintain their high metabolism. Not only do moles wreak havoc to yards, they can cause extensive damage to golf courses and landscaped areas.

Moles mate anytime from February through May which yields 2-5 young with a lifetime of 3-4 years in the wild. One can see that a mole population can easily get out of hand.

A mole nesting area is about six inches in diameter and can be 12-18 inches underground. They are very territorial; in fact, there normally is no more than 3-4 moles per acre except during breeding season.

Moles are great underground dwellers because they don’t need much oxygen to survive. The hemoglobin in the blood allows them to tolerate high levels of CO2.

Moles can travel about 100 feet per day and since they are omnivores, they love insects. The favorite food of the mole is earthworms. The breakdown is like this:  90% earthworms, 5% grubs and 5% other insects.

Because of their polydactyl forepaws, the mole pushes dirt to the side like they are swimming through the soil. The saliva of a mole has a toxin in it that can paralyze an insect to keep if for a future meal. 

Trapping is proven to be the best method of control. There are baits available such as Tapirid which mimics an earthworm. Poison peanuts are not really effective mainly because moles do not eat peanuts. Fumigation can work but soil can absorb the fumigant and since some exploratory tunnels are sealed off, the applicator must be sure that they are injecting into a main run. 

Predators are a great way to naturally control moles. Hawks, owls, fox, skunks and coyotes are beneficial in controlling a mole infestation. And sometimes the household dog or cat may catch one if you are lucky.

Mole fur was once in vogue in the fashion industry in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s but is all but gone in the fashion industry.

As far as mole meat “It is vile.”

Natural predators’ taste and smell are not so important when it comes to a mole meal, but one will rarely see a dog eat a mole.  They may dig one up and play with it but it probably won’t be on their menu.