Mole

Moles are members of the family (Talpidae) of mammals in the order Soricomorpha that live underground, burrowing holes. Some species are aquatic or semi-aquatic. They have cylindrical bodies covered in fur with small or covered eyes; the ears are generally not visible. They feed on small invertebrate animals living underground. Moles can be found in North America, Europe, Asia and the eastern seaboard of Australia.

Male moles are called boars; females are called sows. A group of moles is called a labor. Since at least the era of Early Modern English the mole was also known in the UK as a "moldywarp" or "moldywarpes" (plural).

A mole's diet is primarily composed of earthworms and other small invertebrates. The mole will also occasionally catch small mice at the entrance to its burrow. Once the food is caught, the mole will either store it for later or feed it to its young.

The Star-nosed Mole can detect, catch and eat food faster than the human eye can follow (under 300 milliseconds).

Mole Video

Moles are considered to be an agricultural pest in some countries, while in others, such as Germany, they are a protected species but may be killed if a permit is received. Problems cited as caused by moles include contamination of silage with soil particles making it unpalatable to animals, the covering of pasture with fresh soil reducing its size and yield, damage to agricultural machinery by the exposure of stones, damage to young plants through disturbance of the soil, weed invasion of pasture through exposure of fresh tilled soil, and damage to drainage systems and watercourses. Other species such as weasels and voles may use mole tunnels to gain access to enclosed areas or plant roots.

Moles that burrow in the lawns of humans can disturb the earth, raising molehills and causing enough aesthetic problems, and killing enough of the lawn, to be considered as pests. They do however benefit the soil by aerating and tilling it, adding to its fertility. Contrary to popular belief, moles don't eat plant roots.

They are controlled with traps and poisons such as calcium carbide and strychnine.

The castor plant is known as the "mole plant", because of its reputation as a mole-repelling companion plant. It contains several substances that are either toxic or just unpleasant and may emit some of these into the soil via its roots. One of its most well-known toxins is ricin, in the news as an extract reputed to be attractive to terrorists as a poison. Castor oil, too, is advocated as a mole repellent.

Other common remedies for moles include cat litter and blood meal, to repel the mole, or flooding or smoking its burrow. There are also devices sold to trap the mole in its burrow, when one sees the "mole hill" moving and therefore knows where the animal is, and then stabbing it. Other, "humane" traps are used to capture the mole so that it may be transported elsewhere.