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The only mole that is believed to eat underground plant matter is the Townsend’s mole; all other types are believed to be strict insectivores. Any damage done to plant life would most likely be incidental rather than deliberate or intentional: any plants or bulbs “unseated” during the travel of the mole appear to have been done so by accident. Visitors to the mole burrow are typically the cause of damage to plant life found in the proximity of the mole domain. These visitors may include: voles, mice, gophers, and shrews, among many others.
The mole will mainly eat insects, grubs, and worms found in its tunnels or while foraging and typically will consume up 1.5 times its bodyweight each day (the shrew mole may consume this same amount of food in 12 hours and can starve to death rapidly). This large amount of energy is required for the mole to sustain itself in its rigorous digging in search of more food or a mate. Because of these large food requirements, the density of moles per acre is far fewer than that of other burrowing animals (the male mole may cover up to 20 times the area the male gopher may cover).
- Acknowledgment:
- Henderson, F. Robert., 1994. Moles: Prevention and control of wildlife damage. Extension Specialist — Animal Damage Control. Kansas State University
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology - Animal Diversity Web
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