Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for
Date of this Version
January 1994
Abstract
Yates and Pedersen (1982) list seven North American species of moles. They are the eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus), hairy-tailed mole (Parascalops breweri), star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata), broad-footed mole (Scapanus latimanus), Townsend’s mole (Scapanus townsendii), coast mole (Scapanus orarius), and shrew mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii). Out of the seven species that occur in North America, three inhabit lands east of the Rocky Mountains (Yates and Pedersen 1982). The mole lives in the seclusion of underground burrows, coming to the surface only rarely, and then often by accident. The teeth of a mole indicate the characteristics of its food and general behavior. Moles prefer loose, moist soil abounding in grubs and earthworms. Moles remove many damaging insects and grubs from lawns and gardens. However, their burrowing habits disfigure lawns and parks, destroy flower beds, tear up the roots of grasses, and create havoc in small garden plots. Moles are unprotected in most states.