Mole Damage

Summary: Eastern moles are digging machines. Consider this fact. A tiny mole can dig up to 15 feet in one hour or up to 100 feet in a day. That's serious earth moving! I'm sure I would be much less impressed if they were digging in my yard.

Let's assume you would like to find the mole that is singlehandedly ruining your lawn and remove him from the premises. You will need to know where he is and you can only achieve that if you know how to “read” mole tunnels.

On the list of things that are “good to know” about tunnels is moles do not hibernate. They stay active in winter because their burrows are usually below the frost line. You may not notice the ongoing activity, but come warmer temperatures the surface tunnels will reappear.

Mole paw

Another really important tunnel fact is that moles dig several side tunnels from the nest which head towards the surface. These tunnels lead to thenest chamber that contains dry vegetation and is usually below the surface underneath a boulder or the roots of a plant. The deep burrow is marked by conical mounds of earth the mole has pushed to the surface.

Moles also dig "temporary" tunnels from the side tunnels. The “temporary” tunnels are what the mole uses to look for food. They are just under the surface of the soil and they are used once to search for food. When hungry, the mole simply digs new temporary tunnels. This habit is what tears up your nice lawn.

Deep burrow mound

Interestingly, the “temporary” tunnels are designed as “pit-fall” traps. Remember the old Tarzan films where Tarzan would be running through the jungle and suddenly fall through the jungle floor into a hole that was covered with ferns and branches? The hole was mean to capture lions or other large animals. Well, the mole does the same thing with his surface tunnels. Earthworms, grubs or other small insects fall through the roof of the mole tunnel and the mole, with its sensitive hearing, rushes back to find its prey.

Accurately reading mole tunnels will bring you success in capturing those little lawn-destroying demons.