Moles vs. Rodents

• Family: Moles belong to Talpidae; rodents belong to a completely different group.
• Physical differences:
  • Moles have five clawed toes; rodents have four.
  • Moles have a long, flexible snout, large digging claws, small eyes, and tiny or absent ears.
  • Moles have dense short fur, cylindrical bodies, and rely heavily on touch via whiskers.
• Behavioral differences: Moles are subterranean insectivores with voracious appetites and high metabolism. Rodents have different diets and behaviors.

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Physical Characteristics of Moles

• Size: 6–8 inches long, 3–6 ounces.
• Forefeet: Enlarged and shovel-like for digging.
• Hind feet: Reduced.
• Eyes: Poorly developed, mostly for detecting light.
• Fur: Short, dense, can be brushed forward or backward.

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Diet

• Primarily earthworms.
• Also eat grubs, millipedes, and ants.
• Controlling grubs does not control moles.
• Using insecticides to kill moles is ineffective and illegal.

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Tunnels

• Types:
  1. Shallow feeding tunnels – temporary, visible as surface mounds.
  2. Deep permanent tunnels – for resting, nesting, and latrines.
• Digging speed: Can dig 10–20 feet of surface tunnels per hour; up to 100 feet per day.
• Length: Longest recorded tunnel 3,300 feet.
• Males create more extensive tunnels than females.
• Tunnels are actively maintained and scent-marked to signal occupancy and mating readiness.

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Mole Behavior

• Active day and night; do not hibernate.
• Timid and sensitive to noise.
• Spend less time digging when food is abundant; more when food is scarce.

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Mole Damage

• Tunnel systems expand over years, so surface damage isn’t always an accurate measure of activity.
• Surface tunnels are often temporary.

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Ineffective Home Remedies

• Lye, Drano, pickle juice, bleach, mothballs, ultrasonic devices, explosives, and similar approaches do not work.
• These methods may damage property or worsen the problem.

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Effective Mole Control

• Requires understanding mole behavior.
• Trapping is the only proven method.
• Talpirid bait can support trapping but is not a substitute.
• Mole control is a war of attrition, requiring persistence and skill.