Common mole: characteristics and habitat. Underground mole

Mole - what do we know about this animal? Some people have an opinion about the mole based on famous Czechoslovak cartoons, where he is so small, defenseless and good-natured, doing only good deeds. Others use the cartoon “Thumbelina”, where the “wealthy mole” is a kind of underground Gobsek, imposing, lazy, greedy... And I will not be mistaken if I say that 99% of people have never seen a living mole, and think that this is some kind of underground mouse . Although almost all gardeners have seen the results of his work.

People who are far from gardening believe that the mole is widespread throughout Belarus. From tanned mole skins (which, by the way, are stronger than rabbit and hare skins) you can make children's and adult fur coats, hats, collars, etc.

Moles are beneficial: they eat the larvae of agricultural pests - chafers, click beetles and others; By making passages underground, they loosen and mix the soil layers, and this increases the penetration of air and moisture into them and helps increase fertility.

Moles bring no less benefit in the forest. Thanks to the passages made by moles, seeds of deciduous trees that fall into the soil germinate earlier than any other vegetation. Thus, favorable conditions are created for the natural regeneration of the forest.

However, the owners of “six hundred square meters” know that the mole is attracted by the unusually generous food supply, which is based on the first producer of humus on the entire planet Earth. He (the mole) destroys our best helper at a rate of 80 to 150 grams per day.

As is known, they cause some damage to vegetable gardens, fields, meadows, forest and fruit nurseries. Without consuming plant food, but digging shallow from the soil surface, they disrupt the root system of plants. In addition, they dig up heaps of earth, which leads to littering of meadows and pastures and makes it difficult for machines to harvest hay. Mole holes are used by mouse-like rodents. What do they turn the lawn into? And what feelings does the gardener experience when he sees that he favorite plant, who has survived the most harsh winters, dies because he was undermined by a mole?

Thus, the statement about the usefulness of the mole is, to put it mildly, “far-fetched.” It became clear to me that to do it correctly, you need to know where the mole lives, what it eats, how it reproduces, and what tools are required to catch it. So what should we know about the mole?

Mole. External features

The mole belongs to the class of mammals, the order of insectivores, and the mole family. There are 6 species of moles with 11 subspecies in the CIS. All types and subspecies of moles, generally similar to each other, differ in the size and structure of the teeth, skeleton and some features of their lifestyle.

The animal, widespread in Belarus, belongs to the species European mole, subspecies South Russian mole (Talpa earopaea brauneri Sattnin). The same mole inhabits Ukraine and Moldova.

The appearance of the mole (Fig. 1) is peculiar, which is associated with its underground lifestyle. Better movement the passages are aided by a short, thick, cylindrical body, pointed in front and rounded in back.

Rice. 1. Common mole (adult animal on the surface of the ground)

Since the mole moves mainly using the front part of the body, it is much better developed than the back part. Its head is, as it were, pulled into its shoulders, so the external signs of the neck are not noticeable and the body turns into a cone-shaped head, ending in a small movable proboscis, on the sides of which there are sensitive hairs - vibrissae.

The mole's forelimbs are especially unique. Their feet are wide, spade-shaped, turned outward, have five toes, tightly pressed together, connected by membranes, with long flattened and strong claws up to 8-9 mm long. Bringing both front paws together, the mole digs the soil and pushes the earth to the sides of its underground home. The mole's hind limbs are small, weaker than the front ones, their fingers are without membranes and end in long sharp claws.

When eating and breaking through passages, the mole spreads its hind legs wide and rests them on side walls underground channel. The mole has 44 teeth, the upper canines are well developed. Its eyes are the size of a pinhead, poorly developed or completely covered with skin. There are no auricles, although the auditory openings are covered with a fold, the animal’s hearing is well developed (this is facilitated by the high sound conductivity of the soil). He also has a very well developed sense of smell. Tactile hairs are scattered throughout the body, and the mole senses the presence of earthworms through a 60-centimeter layer of soil. A short tail (1.5–2 centimeters), covered with coarse hairs, also helps the sense of touch. Raising its tail up, the mole feels the ceiling of its movement. If the hairs stop touching the ground, the animal becomes alert and often returns along its paths.
The main differences between individuals of different sexes: average length male (from the tip of the proboscis to the root of the tail) 120-190 millimeters, females - 110-150, weight - 95 and 75 grams, respectively.

Young (new) moles differ from adults, in addition to size and weight, in the silvery tint of their skin. By autumn these differences are almost invisible. It is easier to distinguish young moles from old ones by their gray-black fore and hind legs (the legs become lighter over time), as well as by their pointed teeth (in adults they are more or less worn out).

Mole. Habitats

On the territory of Belarus, the mole is widespread and is found in absolutely all regions, inhabiting a wide variety of places.

The mole lives in meadows (floodplain and upland), forests (young birch trees and deciduous shrubs are more attractive), but prefers edges, clearings, thawed areas, places near roads warmed by the sun, forest clearings, as well as vegetable gardens, greenhouses, orchards, parks settlements, rights-of-way and slopes of railways, arable land with cereals and other cultivated plants.

The mole avoids continuous forests, pure spruce forests, pine forests growing on hills with sandy soils, very low and wetlands and floodplain meadows overgrown with sedge and other grasses with a powerful root system.

Thus, the mole most often settles in places rich in humus soil, moderately moist and with enough food (earthworms, larvae, insects).

For him, the presence of earthworms in the upper soil horizons throughout the year is important. During drought and severe freezing of the soil (if there is not enough snow cover), they sink into deeper layers and become inaccessible to the mole.

As it declines, the number of areas inhabited by moles also decreases. The habitat of moles also depends on the amount of precipitation and air temperature. The more significant their fluctuations, the closer the mole moves to the forest, where the soil freezes less in winter and retains moisture longer in summer. In places with rugged terrain, moles can avoid a lack of moisture or its excess, moving from lowlands to higher elevations, and regulate temperature conditions, moving from the better heated southern slopes to the northern ones.

Mole. Mole nutrition

In connection with the digging activity of the mole, the question of its nutrition has attracted the attention of many scientists in various countries. As a result of a number of studies, it has been proven that the mole feeds only on animal food, and the plant residues found in its stomach and intestines come either accidentally with the food, sticking to it, or in most cases from the intestines of the earthworms it has eaten. Plant residues are not digested and are thrown away. He searches for food by making new passages and checking old ones. In these passages they accumulate earthworms, which, moving vertically to the soil surface, fall into the mole tunnel and linger in it, as well as the larvae of various insects. When there is a lack of this food, moles eat small vertebrates. In captivity they eat the meat of frogs, rats, etc.

To replenish the energy expended for movement in the ground, the mole is forced to absorb large number food. This is also due to the fact that the mole’s metabolic processes are much faster than those of other mammals. During the day, the mole eats an amount of food that is equal to or greater than own weight(from 80 to 150 grams). If the mole is hungry enough, then it eats the worms immediately on the surface of the earth, and when it is more or less full, it takes its prey to the nearest underground passage and eats it there.

A mole can eat 40 grams of worms within half an hour, while its stomach can hold no more than 20 grams; after 5 hours it is again able to eat the same portion. After satiation, the mole falls into a sleepy state for 3-4 hours, after which it begins to search for food again.

Moles eat earthworms from the head, pulling them between the claws of their front paws. As a result, the worms are cleared of the soil, and the intestinal contents are squeezed out of them. Moles do not swallow food whole; they even chew small insects, with the exception of certain species of earthworms.

In winter, moles eat less than in summer. This can be explained by its less active digging activity and lack of food. Therefore, the weight of moles of both sexes is the smallest in winter.

Moles do not tolerate hunger well. They die 6-13 hours after digestion of the absorbed food, unless new food arrives.

Moles drink very often. They usually set up a nesting chamber not far from the water, to which many additional passages are laid. In captivity, moles drink 4-5 times a day. In the fall, they strive to stock up on earthworms for the winter; to do this, they bite off the ends of their heads. As a result, the worms remain alive, but paralyzed. Then the moles stack them in regular rows against the side walls of the passages.

Mole. Mole breeding

In Belarus, the mating period for moles begins shortly after the snow melts. In the western and southern regions, pregnant females begin to be seen from April 17, and in the northern regions - from May 5-8. Early and cold spring delays this period, which entails a prolongation of the mating period, birth dates, feeding of the young and their settlement. This leads to the prey of a large number of pregnant and lactating females, and consequently to an overall reduction in the number of moles.

The duration of pregnancy in females is 35–40 days. Largest quantity pregnant females occur in May. Most females give birth to 6 cubs. On average, there are about 5 cubs per female.

Females usually have one litter per year. However, on the territory of Belarus, especially in the western and southern regions, it was found that 20–25% of females bear litters twice. The second, summer, offspring occurs from the end of June to the end of July. Signs of a female that has given birth to a second offspring are well-developed mammary glands, nipples (4 pairs of them), around which the hair is wiped. In summer, female fertility is lower than in spring: there are about 4 cubs per female.

Feeding the young continues for about a month. At this time, females often fall into traps. Young moles live peacefully among themselves, but as they mature they become pugnacious. At the age of two months, in the middle or end of June, young moles, the size of which does not exceed 3/4 of an adult animal, begin to be caught in traps. They already lead an independent lifestyle. From the end of June - beginning of July, their mass resettlement begins, which ends by the end of August.

In the first days of settlement, young moles run along the tunnels several at a time. Often young moles can be found on the surface of the earth, where they crawl out through holes in passages or molehills. Sometimes it is possible to catch one during the summer, in a course in which all moles go in one direction, up to 50 or more specimens, of which young animals account for up to 75%.

Moles disperse very quickly, as they run along ready-made passages with quite high speed- up to 6 m in 1 minute. Research by scientists shows that young moles cover a distance of up to 700 m in 20.5 hours, and adults cover 50 m in 20 minutes. Young moles are more prone to movement than adult moles; the latter do not go further than 400 m in 11 months.

When settling, moles encounter small rivers and streams, which they quickly swim across. According to observations, on the Shchors River a mole swam a distance of more than 30 m in 3 minutes. When swimming, the mole holds its head high above the water and quickly paddles with its front paws from the sides, and with its hind paws directly in front of itself, while twisting its entire body to the right and left. The railway is not an obstacle to the spread of moles in Belarus. A nest was found 10 m from the canvas railway Baranovichi - Slutsk. Moles even dig passages under the sleepers for many hundreds of meters, and along the embankments the passages stretch for whole kilometers.

Material prepared by: horticulture specialist Buinovsky O.I.

In addition, moles can swim. They are able to swim across small rivers. This is evidenced by the underground passages, which, having been interrupted before the reservoir, continued after. The animals are not adapted to exist on the surface, so they can be seen there extremely rarely. And even when the mole appears, he behaves clumsily, since he is completely blind and is not used to perceiving any environment different from his moves. Therefore, he moves by crawling. His vision is adapted only to distinguish light from darkness. And it is precisely thanks to these seemingly negative properties of its physical structure that the mole is ideally adapted to life underground.

Moles can be easily recognized by the following external signs:

glossy skin with short black fur;

an elongated proboscis, at the bottom of which there are nostrils;

large and widely spaced front shovel-shaped paws with palms facing upward;

small, poorly developed hind legs;

small eyes with underdeveloped vision;

body length is approximately 110–170 millimeters, and weight ranges from 60–150 grams;

short tail.

The life cycle of the mole family can be represented as follows:

in the period from the beginning of February to the end of May, the female brings up to four cubs in one brood;

up to nine weeks are spent on the formation of young animals into adults;

after six months (maximum), the parents leave their fully formed brood in the familiar network of underground passages and begin creating a new one.

Due to their incompatibility with other individuals, insectivores spend most of their lives underground alone, with the exception of the time when their offspring are formed. They rarely change their habitat, and basically their entire life is concentrated inside one tunnel system. Moles have two musk glands, with the help of which they produce a specific smell of musk, which can attract both other relatives and earthworms that serve as food.

To survive, a mole of average weight (eighty grams) needs to consume at least forty grams of earthworms per day. Main feature the network of tunnels dug by a mole is that various insects and worms penetrate them, becoming simple prey. For a long time, moles are able to retain their prey with bites to the head. The network of underground passages grows when the diggers begin to feel the need for food.

For full life, a mole of average body weight (80 grams) needs to consume about 40 grams of earthworms daily. The tunnels are designed so that there is enough easy prey in them in the form of various insects and worms. If the available “food” comes to an end, then the network of tunnels immediately begins to expand.

The length of underground passages can reach hundreds of meters. They can be divided into two types:

The passages are located almost at the very surface of the earth. Their purpose is to search for food. These are kind of traps for worms and insects. It is known that a mole can survive without food for only 10-15 hours.
The passages of the second type go deep and serve as the dwelling of animals. Since these animals do not fall into hibernation, deep passages serve as an excellent place for them to survive the cold.

In addition, the animals naturally need water, so individual passages break through directly to nearby bodies of water.

Favorite habitats of moles and their types

The favorite habitat of the mole family is deciduous and broad-leaved forests. In addition, moles can safely be called the sworn enemies of gardeners, because their search for prey often leads them to gardens and fields - the main habitat of earthworms and other insects. Their networks of underground tunnels cause a huge variety of problems: from spoiling the appearance of the landscape and the formation of earthen slides on it to the destruction of many cultivated plants. Moles love fertile soil and cannot be found in peaty or, for example, sandy soil.

But, oddly enough, the presence of moles in vegetable gardens and garden plots also brings benefits: by loosening the soil becomes softer and more moist, and harmful insects that harm plants gradually begin to disappear from the garden. irreparable harm. Although moles destroy the root system, plants and root crops are not included in their diet.

Thus, the main habitats of colonies are:

Meadows.
Forests (mainly young birch trees and deciduous coppices).
Clearings.
Areas near roadways.
Garden plots.
City parks.

Preference is given to places that warm up well sun rays and contain a large amount of humus and food (worms, larvae, insects). The humidity of the area also plays an important role: it should be moderate.

Moles will definitely avoid the dense large forests, pine forests, swamps and areas of soil on which crops with a strong root system grow.

The area chosen for residence should provide food all year round. The fact is that during dry periods and during frosts, worms move deeper into the ground and become inaccessible to blind hunters.

The choice of place to live depends, among other things, on temperature and frequency of precipitation. If the selected area is accompanied by unstable climate conditions, the animals will tend to move closer to the forest, where the ground freezes less during the winter and moisture is better retained in the summer months.

Moles are very sensitive, so they themselves regulate their descent into lowlands or migration to higher points until the conditions become comfortable.

What do moles eat and what do they eat?

Scientists have long been interested in the diet of moles. Numerous studies have established that what moles eat is exclusively of animal origin. Plant fibers enter the body of animals either accidentally or in the stomachs of eaten worms. And even once the vegetation enters the mole’s body, it cannot be digested and simply leaves the body.

The search for food is carried out by digging more and more new passages, when there is no one to hunt in the old ones. In case of a shortage of usual food - worms, insects and larvae - moles eat small vertebrates and even frogs and rats.

In progress permanent job underground, moles spend a huge amount of energy, the restoration of which requires impressive amounts of nutrition. The animals have a very good metabolism, which also affects their appetite. During the day, the individual absorbs an amount of food exceeding its own weight (70-140 grams). If the mole is very hungry, then the caught victim in the form of, for example, a worm is eaten entirely on the surface of the earth. If the hunger is not brutal, the prey is carried away and eaten inside the passage.

The mole's metabolism is so good that the animal can digest 50 grams of food in just 30 minutes. And this is provided that the animal’s stomach holds only 20 grams. After 4-6 hours he is ready for the next meal. On average, several hours pass between such feedings, which are accompanied by a sleepy state.

In the cold season, animals are less voracious, since they dig less and, accordingly, spend less energy.

Diggers are very creative in securing supplies for the winter. They catch worms and then simply bite their heads. This immobilizes the worms, but keeps them alive. In this form, the worms are laid in rows along the walls of the passages.

In terms of water, moles are also very greedy. Therefore, they invariably live near some body of water to which access is provided.

Reproduction

Fertilization of females begins around the end of April - beginning of May. The gestation period is 5-6 weeks. An average of 5-6 moles are born in one litter. One female is most often limited to one litter during the year. But in some areas there are also two litters (for example, in Belarus).

The cubs are fed for 4 weeks. As the young grow older, they become aggressive towards each other. At the age of 2 months, their independent lifestyle begins.

Mass dispersal of individuals occurs from the beginning of July and ends at the end of August. This process proceeds quite quickly, since average speed movement of animals is 5 meters per minute. In 20 hours, young individuals are able to cover a distance of 650 meters. Adults develop a dispersal speed of up to 50 meters in 20 minutes.

The following four species of the mole family are common in Russia:

A mole is an animal whose description is often found in newspapers and magazines on various topics. This is not surprising, because in our area this animal is often found. Since childhood, many remember the mole as a popular fairy tale character. Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind even for adults is the fairy tale “Thumbelina,” where the animal appears before us in the form of a thrifty owner.

IN real life Moles are small animals that live underground. Their peculiarity is the lack of vision. However, this is not a defect at all. If moles had a normal organ of vision, they simply could not spend their entire lives underground. Also, moles do not have ears. And this is not just like that.

The pressure present in them would prevent animals from constantly staying underground. As you can see,
the body and all vital systems are arranged in such a way that the only habitat can be a dungeon. And the moles’ home itself is a complex system of tunnels. Even scientists who study the habits of the animal are surprised at how intricate paths moles dig for themselves.

The fact that moles are blind does not mean they lack vision. They have eyes, but they are very small and completely covered with fur on top. And in some species, the eyes are completely hidden under the skin. The moles' fur itself is short and soft, so much so that it is pleasant to touch. However, the fur of animals also has its own peculiarity. It can easily be stacked in different directions. If the fur of moles did not have this property, it would be difficult for them to move through their underground tunnels with such ease.

The average length of moles reaches from 13 to 16 cm. It depends on the type of animal and its habitat. Half the length of the mole is occupied by the head and tail, which are the same size. The fur color is black, and in some species it is dark gray, sometimes with a blue tint.

Where is it found?

The habitat of moles is Russia, especially its West, Siberia, the Urals, Eurasia and America. How were such small animals able to “capture” such a large habitat for themselves? Everything is explained by their underground way of life, which often saves them from enemies, external irritants, and even such a primitive factor as weather is practically indifferent to moles.

As for the territory of residence itself, which the animals choose for themselves, it is selected carefully. Moles will not live in sandy soil; they also avoid swampy areas. The most favorable for them is moderately moist soil with soft soil. It is in such an environment that it is easiest for animals to dig holes, and it is this activity that takes up most of their lives.

By the way, to determine the place where the mole has settled, you do not need to have special knowledge. It can be easily identified by small mounds, which consist of earth, which the animal pushed to the surface in order to make room for the next tunnel. Mole holes are often found on the river bank, because the animals are excellent swimmers and can swim as freely as they can dig underground.

Danger to people

The mole does not pose any direct danger to humans. Consider several aspects in which they can cause minor harm; most often, the activity of moles can negatively affect the summer cottage.

This is due to two factors:

by processing the soil during tunnel digging, animals mix a highly fertile surface with a low-fertile one;
moles eat a large number of earthworms, which in themselves have a beneficial effect on the soil.

All this leads to the fact that the soil is slowly becoming depleted and may simply become unsuitable for some types of plants that previously grew well and bore fruit.

How to get rid

When planning to get rid of moles, driving them out of your area once and for all, you should understand that this is not so easy to do. In some cases, you have to spend more than one month to say goodbye to unwanted guests.

Let's look at several effective ways.

If the owner of the dacha is patient, then you can get rid of moles using gentle methods. For example, you can take care to reduce the soil moisture level for a certain period. Then the animals will simply leave your site and go looking for new housing.

Even small children know that this animal does not see anything. Older people know that the common mole is a soil mammal. In this article we will look at how this little animal lives, what it eats and what it does.

Common mole. Description

Representatives of this species can live in forests, fields, steppes and meadows. The European or common one (Talpa europaea) is often found. Where he lives is always dark, which is why he has no eyes. Although some individuals have small organs of vision, the only function of which is to distinguish light from darkness.

How did it initially become known that the common mole is a soil animal? People were prompted to this idea by piles of soil on the surface of the earth. These are the so-called molehills. While watching them, we discovered this animal. Later, while studying it, the person determined that the mole had no vision. At the same time, the animal has developed other senses that make it possible to use smell, touch and hearing to a significant extent. His ears are located inside.

Special constitution

The common mole is a small animal, only 10-20 centimeters in length. There is a tail located behind its body. Its length is 2 centimeters. In addition, the structure of the body also allows the mole to move underground without interference. Its skin is covered with smooth, short fur, pleasant to the touch. It does not interfere with turning and backing in dark passages, due to the fact that it grows upward and not backward. Most often, the animal has black fur, although sometimes there are exceptions in the form of ash or brown shades. But still, the fur is not immune from damage. After all, a mole has to move in a confined space.

Reverse

In order to restore hair in time, these animals shed 3-4 times a year. They acquire the most beautiful fur after the autumn molt, which begins at the end of October. In winter it grows taller and thicker, and in summer “relief” sets in again and the coat becomes shorter and thinner. The animal's muzzle is elongated and covered with sensitive hairs.

It is known that the common mole can “walk” backwards. It has this ability thanks to the vibrissae growing on its tail. He has a special tool that makes movement easier. The common mole digs underground passages using its paws. If you look at it closer, you can see that they are wide, powerful, equipped with strong claws. The mole works with these “shovels”, moving in endless underground tunnels.

Prose of life

Food

The mole is called a pest because, moving underground in vegetable gardens, it gnaws the roots of plants, which then die. But it is a mistake to think that this animal eats greens. He is far from a herbivore. ordinary? He is an insectivore. The mole eats all representatives of invertebrates that come across its path: mollusks, larvae, worms, slugs, centipedes, woodlice. It happens that he gets lizards, mice and frogs. This little guy is a terrible glutton. This is not surprising, since small mammals have to eat a lot to maintain body heat. He consumes an amount of food equal to his weight per day (60-100 grams). In winter, he eats what he managed to store.

Increase in numbers

The common mole strives to leave offspring, like any other creature on our planet. For this purpose, the male mates with the female. This usually occurs in March or April. After a month, the female brings forth offspring in the amount of 4 to 9 cubs. Initially, they are not covered with hair, are very small and require constant care. Therefore, the mother stays next to them until the moles reach the age of 1.5 months.

Mole's house

This animal not only crawls underground. He arranges a house for himself, which he covers with dry grass. In addition, the purpose of the moves that the mole makes varies. One by one he makes his way to a watering hole, food and his nest, while others serve as invertebrates. The common mole makes its home at a depth of 1.5-2 meters. Most often, housing will be located between roots or under buildings. There are no restrictions on the depth of passages that form a multi-tier system. If the soil is loose, the mole can go down 100 meters. The “corridors” dug by him are preserved for a long time. If they are not destroyed by other animals or people, several generations of moles can live in them.

These animals work with their paws at high speed, so there are a lot of winding passages underground. An obstacle for them is the “heavy” soil. The mole has a particularly bad time during drought. It may even die if it fails to crawl through a dried-out area of soil. The common mole makes traps for future food products shallowly. Interestingly, its smell, which repels predators, attracts worms. They crawl into the passages he makes, where they are usually eaten. Other animals, such as mice, also use wormholes. And shrews often penetrate feeding passages specifically to eat worms.

Do nature and people need them?

If such an animal exists, it means there is some benefit from it. Not everyone will be able to determine what it is. Especially those who have summer cottages or lives in his own home. Such people know that a mole is a pest. By making passages, it damages plants that may die. Molehills spoil the appearance of lawns and lawns. Their activities reduce the amount of nutrients beneficial to the soil. The owners are trying to get rid of such an unpleasant neighborhood. For this purpose, both modern and folk remedies, they try to do everything to make the mole leave their area. But at the same time, this animal eats pests and loosens the soil. This means there is still some benefit from it. The main thing is that he works away from the household plot.

It’s hard to imagine who would have come up with the idea of sewing a fur coat from moleskin. The creator of the first such product probably came up with this idea because of the softness and silkiness of the animal’s fur. Yes, such fur coats look attractive, unusual and exclusive. But they are expensive. Other products are made from such fur. We can say that this is how a person takes revenge on a mole for ruining his gardens.

A mole is an animal that belongs to the class mammals, subclass animals, infraclass placentals, superorder Laurasiotherium, order insectivores, suborder shrews, family moles, or moles (lat. Talpidae).

The name "mole" literally means "digger". The word was transformed from krъtъ, which came from the base krъ - “to dig, dig.” On Slavic languages the name of the animal sounds the same: in Polish – kret, in Bulgarian – krъt, in Slovenian – krt. The German name Schermaus means "digging mouse".

Mole - description, structure, photo. What does a mole look like?

Moles are small mammals. The smallest of them is the Sichuan shrew mole (lat. Uropsilus soricipes), a representative of the subfamily Uropsilinae. The length of its body is 6-7 cm, the length of the tail reaches 6.5 cm, and the weight does not exceed 10-15 g. The largest mole is the large mogera (Ussuri mogera) (lat. Mogera robusta), which belongs to the subfamily Talpinae. It reaches 21 cm in length and weighs up to 300 g.

Great mogera

All moles from the mole subfamily (lat. Talpinae) have characteristic features allowing them to lead an underground lifestyle. Individuals belonging to the subfamily Uropsilinae do not have these features.

By the way, the muskrat also belongs to the mole family (Talpidae), subfamily of moles (Talpinae), but a description of this animal is given in a separate article.

The body of moles from the subfamily Talpinae has a bar-like, rounded shape without a clearly defined neck. The mole's head is small, tapered towards the nose. The auricles are rudimentary in the form of a skin ridge, very rarely they are developed, small, protruding from the hairline. Extended beyond the lower lip, the mole's nose is a movable proboscis. Apart from vibrissae, long, hard and sensitive hairs, it has no hair. The nostrils of animals are located on the sides or directed forward.

The star-nosed mole (lat. Condylura cristata) has 22 soft leather outgrowths on its muzzle instead of a nose.

With an underground lifestyle, the eyes of moles have practically lost their functions. They are fully formed, but very small, approximately the size of a poppy seed, and hidden under thick fur. In some cases, the eyes are equipped with a movable eyelid, in others there are tiny slits in the skin opposite the eyes. Sometimes such a slot is located only in one eye. In some species, the eyes are completely hidden under the skin, such as in Caucasian moles. They can only be detected by x-ray examination. Since moles have poorly developed vision, this is compensated by an excellent sense of smell, touch and hearing.

The mole's mouth is armed with 34-44 teeth, depending on the type of individual. Teeth different types have animals different shape. In addition, the mammal may make squeaking or hissing and squealing sounds.

The front five-toed paws of moles are tools for digging. They are clawed, with hands widened like shovels, without membranes between the fingers and with their palms turned outward. The claw phalanges are forked at the end. The claws are flat and wide. The collarbones are comb-shaped and well developed. The hind limbs are thin, elongated and paw-like. The mole's tail is generally short, with whiskers. Its length varies from 2 to 10 cm.

By the way, moles swim well. They even swim across mountain rivers.

The body of moles is covered with thick velvety fur. The hair is located perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body and has core constrictions, thanks to which the hair easily bends in any direction. This protects the fur from contamination and makes it easier for the animal to move underground. The color of a mole's fur can be dark gray, brown or black, depending on the species, time of year and habitat.

By the way, a mole can run through its underground passages both with its head and tail first, and at the same speed. This is facilitated by special hair growth and a tail covered with vibrissae.

Representatives of the subfamily Uropsilinae, which includes only one genus - Chinese shrew moles (lat. Uropsilus), differ from other species of moles not only in their small size, but also in some other characteristics. These animals have a slender body and relatively tall limbs. The animals' front legs are not adapted for digging or swimming. The hands of these moles are narrow, the claw phalanges are not forked, and the claws are compressed from the sides. The paws are covered with scales at the bottom. The collarbones are narrow and long. The muzzle is pointed, with an elongated scaly proboscis. The nostrils, which run in tubes, are separated by a groove. The ears are well developed. The eyes are small, hidden in thick fur. The tail of these moles is thin, long, reaching the length of the body. The fur is velvety, like that of other moles. The color of the back is dark, brownish-brown, the belly is dark gray. Outwardly, these moles look more like shrews.

Molting of moles.

The periodic change of fur, molting, in moles occurs not 2 times - in spring and autumn, as in many animals, but 3, or even 4 times, since moles molt in the summer. This is due to the fact that when constant movement Through narrow passages, the animal’s fur quickly wears off. It turns out that the mole sheds completely or partially almost all the time, except in winter. In faded areas, the skin darkens and thickens three times, but the hair in this area is weaker and is quickly wiped off.

The mammal's first molt occurs from April to June. Females molt first, and then males. Worn-out winter fur is replaced with new spring fur. In mid-July, the adults, followed by the young (for the first time in the young), undergo summer molting. Following it, almost without interruption, the autumn molt begins, at the end of which the moles acquire their most best view. The mole's autumn fur is velvety, shiny, black with a silvery touch, very thick and tall.

Where do moles live?

Moles are distributed throughout almost all of Europe, including Russia, excluding areas beyond the Arctic Circle. In Asia, they inhabit vast territories: Turkey, Transcaucasia, China, Tibet, Mongolia, Indochina, except for the very south. IN North America moles live in southeastern Canada, in the USA - on the west coast, in the Eastern and Central states to Mexico in the south. For Russia, a mole is an ordinary resident. In the European part it is found in large quantities and is found almost everywhere, with the exception of the northern regions located above the Northern Dvina. In the Asian part of Russia, moles live in Western and Central Siberia to South-Eastern Transbaikalia, in Altai, in the Sayan Mountains, and in the Far East.

The distribution of moles depends on how suitable the soil is for digging, and, most importantly, how many invertebrates they can find in it. Moles prefer soft, moist, loose soil, but do not like wetlands. Their territories are forest clearings, edges, meadows, broadleaf forests, mixed coniferous-deciduous young forests and agricultural lands cultivated by humans. The habitats of moles are located on flat, hilly terrain or in the mountains, where they rise up to alpine meadows. Animals from the subfamily Uropsilinae have risen higher than others: they are found at altitudes of up to 4500 m. As for habitat zones, the mole does not live in arid and hot zones of deserts and semi-deserts, as well as in frozen tundras and forest-tundras. Along river valleys, animals spread north to the middle taiga and descend to the southern dry steppes. In the habitat, the mole creates complex system holes, passages, holes. Some of them serve as homes. The mole forms its main passages while looking for food.

Lifestyle of moles.

The life of a mole passes in dark labyrinths that lie underground at different depths. Mammals dig the ground with large, everted front paws, rotating around the axis of the body. If the soil is soft, loose, and damp, then the mole digs holes 2-5 cm from the surface of the ground. The soil above the passages rises in the form of a roller. The mole does not throw away the earth. If the ground is dry, tunnels are dug at a depth of 10-50 cm and deeper (up to a meter), while excess soil is thrown into holes. In this case, a characteristic type of heap or molehill is formed on the surface. From such piles formed as the mole digs a tunnel, its direction can be determined. Under forest paths, moles dig deeper tunnels that connect the most complex surface labyrinths of passages.

Female moles make nests at a depth of 1.5-2 meters: under stumps, stones or tree roots, less often in open areas, creating a tunnel system consisting of ring and radial passages. The molehill above the nesting chamber is especially high - up to 70-80 cm in height. A mole's nest is a small depression that can be lined with grass. The mole wanders around the area of residence, this is due to the search for the optimal place of existence. In the spring, during floods and snowmelt, the animals move to higher ground; in the summer, as the soil dries out, they descend to the lowlands. The maximum habitat area of an adult does not exceed 50 hectares. For the brood, the area is 1250 hectares. Moles remain within their territory all their lives. In the spring, males significantly expand their territory, moving in search of a reproductive female. In hot and dry weather, moles can move considerable distances from their territories, going to rivers to drink.

Moles are very quarrelsome and grumpy. They live alone, uniting in pairs only to produce offspring. The exception is the starfish (lat. Condylura cristata), which can live with the female all winter. Young moles caress each other, squeak like chickens, and as they grow older, they become pugnacious, especially the males. Adults do not get along together. Moles are even capable of biting and eating a relative, leaving only its skin. By the way, in captivity they very willingly eat the meat of their own kind. Due to their quarrelsome nature, young moles are more active, developing the territory for their residence. If one of the moles dies or gets caught in a trap, its neighbors quickly notice this and take over the tunnel system mastered by the animal. Moles mark their territories by secreting a special secretion that accumulates on the belly fur. If an animal does not mark its territory regularly, then other individuals understand that this area is empty.

Do moles hibernate in winter?

In winter, moles do not hibernate, as they are very voracious and cannot get by for a long time without food. IN winter period they make passages under the snow in leaf litter or dry grass.

What do moles eat?

The diet of the vast majority of moles consists of earthworms. In second place are insects living in the ground and their larvae, such as wireworms (larvae of click beetles), weevils, larvae (including) and cutworm caterpillars. Many moles eat slugs. Starfish (lat. Condylura cristata) eat aquatic inhabitants: small crustaceans, aquatic insects and fish. Mogers include different species in their diet. Scapanus moles and American shrew-moles partly consume plant foods.

Moles feed 5-6 times a day. After each meal, the animal tucks its head and hind legs under its abdomen, taking the shape of a fluffy ball, and falls asleep for about 4 hours. It is during this period of time that food is digested. At one time, an animal can eat about 20-22 g of earthworms, and 50-60 g per day. The mole eats worms whole or torn, starting from the end. Using the teeth and toes of his front paws, he squeezes the soil out of them. Moles are capable of fasting for a maximum of 14 to 17 hours. In summer they eat more food than in winter.

Sometimes moles store food for periods of starvation. From 100 to 1000 earthworms can be collected in underground mole tunnels. Moles immobilize them with a bite to the head, and the worms remain alive for some time.

To search for earthworms, moles do not dig new tunnels every time. They find food in previously made tunnels. The worms themselves crawl into them, attracted by the warmth and smell of the musk secreted by the mole. In winter, earthworms are just as active as in summer. They are able to make moves in frozen ground, crawling to the surface. Moles hunt for them, digging tunnels under the snow.

How long does a mole live in the wild?

The average life expectancy of a mole in natural conditions reaches 4-6 years.

Types of moles, photos and names.

Below is a brief description of several types of moles.

Common mole aka European mole (lat. Talpa europaea) belongs to the genus of common moles. The body length of the animal reaches 12-16 cm, weight 55-90 g, tail length 2-4 cm. The animal's eyes are small, with narrow slits, without movable eyelids and eyelashes. The fur is black with a lighter shade underneath. The color of moles varies from black-gray and black-brown to completely black. Adults have darker fur than juveniles. The offspring appears once a year. European moles live in the forest-meadow zone of Europe, as well as in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, the Urals and Western Siberia.

Blind mole (small mole) (lat.Talpa caeca) - a representative of the genus of common moles. One of the smallest moles. The length of its body is 8-12 cm, the length of the tail is 2-3 cm. The mole weighs up to 30 g. The animal’s eyes are located under the skin. The basis of its diet is insects and their larvae. It consumes earthworms less frequently than other moles. Reproduction begins early spring when there is still snow. Blind moles live in the mountainous regions of the Caucasus, Turkey, and Northern Iran.

Long-tailed mole (lat.Scaptonyx fusicaudus) represents the monotypic genus Scaptonyx of the same name. A small animal with a body length of 7.2-9 cm and a weight of up to 12 g. The length of the tail reaches 4.5 cm. The fur is sparse and hard. Long-tailed moles live in the coniferous highland forests of Northern Myanmar, Southern China and Northern Vietnam. The passages are dug shallow.

Caucasian mole (lat.Talpa caucasica) belongs to the genus of common moles. The sizes for representatives of the genus are average: body length 10-14 cm, weight - 40-95 g, tail length 2.5 - 3.2 cm. Females are smaller than males. The color of the fur changes from bright black after molting to brown over time. The mole's eyes are subcutaneous. It makes shallow moves: from 5 to 20 cm in depth, but it can go deep up to 1 meter. The diet is based on earthworms, less often insects and larvae. It bears offspring once a year. The Caucasian mole lives in the southern and central parts of the Ciscaucasia, Transcaucasia and the Greater Caucasus, as well as in Black Sea coast Turkey.
Siberian mole (Altai mole) (lat.Talpa altaica) - a species from the genus of common moles. Distribution area of the animal - Western Siberia, west Eastern Siberia, southern Transbaikalia, northwestern Mongolia. Inhabits forested areas, except swamps, and river valleys in permafrost areas. By appearance The animal is similar to the European mole, but is larger in size. Males have a body length from 13.5 to 19.5 cm and a weight of 75-225 g. The body length of females varies from 128 to 171 mm, weight ranges from 70-145 g. The tail is short, from 17 to 36 mm in length. The mole's eyes have a movable eyelid. Individuals living in Altai have a darker color: dark brown and black. Among the inhabitants of the northern plains, black takes on a smoky hue. There are also albinos, yellow, red and spotted individuals. The Siberian mole eats earthworms and insect larvae. The animal differs from many other species of moles in that its pregnancy lasts 9 months: mating occurs in the summer, but the embryos freeze and begin to develop only in the spring. Young animals appear from late April to late May.
Japanese shrew mole (mole-shaped urotrichus) (lat.Urotrichus talpoides) - the only species of the genus of the same name. Named for its resemblance to a mole and a shrew at the same time. The body size of the animal is small: 8-10 cm. The length of the hair-covered tail reaches 3 cm, with a tassel at the tip. The thick and soft fur of these moles is not velvety. It has a dark brown or black color with a metallic sheen. The animal moves both along long passages located shallowly and along the very surface of the earth. The Japanese shrew mole climbs bushes and trees to a height of 2-4 m. In winter, it sometimes roosts in empty bird nests and birdhouses. It breeds once a year. This species of mole inhabits the treeless slopes of mountains and volcanoes from the base to 2000 m above sea level at southern islands Japan.

Taken from: nyandfulworld.blog84.fc2.com

Japanese mogera (medium mogera) (lat.Mogera wogura) belongs to the genus Moger. The size of the animal reaches 12-15.6 cm. The tail is short: 2-2.4 cm. Body weight is 95-210 g. On the back and sides, the moguera’s fur is black or dark, brown and gray, the peritoneum is lighter. Sometimes there are buffy spots on the chest, around the front legs and at the bottom of the abdomen. Basically, the Japanese mogera feeds on insect larvae: earthworms occupy the second place in its diet. Japanese mogers live in the southwest of the Japanese archipelago: in the southern part of the island of Honshu, the islands of Shikoku, Kyushu, some islands of the Inland Sea of Japan, the Korea Strait, East China and Japanese seas. On the mainland, these moles inhabit some eastern regions of China, the Korean Peninsula, and in Russia, the south of Primorsky Krai. The grasslands and agricultural lands on which Japanese mogers live can be located at altitudes of up to 1000 m above sea level. These moles build two-level passages: at a depth of 50-70 cm and 1-1.5 m.

Taken from the site: alcedoatthishin1.blog99.fc2.com

Star-nosed (star-nosed) (lat.Condylura cristata) - a mole from the genus Condylura. Its body length is 18.9-21.1 cm. The tail is scaly, up to 8 cm in length, covered with sparse hairs. In winter it thickens to the diameter of a pencil. The star-nosed mole is similar to ordinary moles in the structure of its front legs, the absence of ears, small eyes (which, by the way, are not hidden under the skin) and thick, even black or dark brown fur. Distinctive feature, which predetermined the name of this species, is the presence of a star-shaped stigma, consisting of 22 leathery, fleshy processes. With the help of these tentacles, the mole searches for food. All of them are movable, except for the two in the middle at the top, which are directed forward and do not bend. The star-nosed mole swims and dives well not only in summer, but also in winter under ice. In water it eats small aquatic inhabitants and fish, on land it eats earthworms and mollusks. In addition to the aquatic and underground, the starfish also leads a terrestrial lifestyle, moving on the ground or snow. On the surface, these animals can even build nests, placing them in rotten stumps or deposits of leaves. Sometimes muskrats settle in the walls of huts. Animals prefer wet soils. They settle in meadows and forests, along the banks of streams and near swamps. Star-nosed bats live in the southeastern regions of Canada and in the southeastern states of the United States from southern Labrador to North Carolina.

How do moles reproduce?

The intensity and duration of the breeding season of moles depends on climatic conditions and habitat quality. The timing of the appearance of young animals can be extended. The rut begins at the end of March. Young females begin breeding later than adults. Moles come to the surface to mate.

By different sources, the pregnancy of animals lasts from 30 to 60 days, and the Siberian (Altai) mole (lat. Talpa altaica) produces offspring after 9 months. From the end of April, the cubs begin to appear. They are born naked and blind, in numbers from 3 to 10. Usually moles have one litter per year. Some species, such as the large mogera (lat. Mogera robusta), bear offspring 2 times a year. The young grow quickly and by a month already reach the size of adults. Females become sexually mature after a year, in some species - after a few months.

Taken from: photos1.blogger.com

Enemies of moles in nature.

Moles have few enemies. During spring floods they can be caught by birds of prey. They are prey for martens, raccoon dogs, boars. Moles die from drought or excessive waterlogging. Often the cause of death of animals is a person who destroys them intentionally or accidentally.

Keeping moles at home.

Keeping moles at home is not recommended. This is a troublesome task. Preparing a place for them to live is quite difficult. In a small box, the soil quickly becomes dirty and damp. Animals in such conditions are susceptible to disease. If you replace the soil with other fillers, the moles will be deprived of physical activity, not performing their usual earthworks, and will die from obesity. Feeding a mole in captivity is quite difficult. In addition, the animals are very sensitive to different sounds and vibrations that cause them stress.

Economic importance of moles.

Moles are mammals that have beautiful velvety fur. Their skins, although small, are durable and suitable for making outerwear. Mole coats are not the warmest, but wearable and beautiful. Their cost is high. From the 20s to the 80s of the 20th century, mole fishing existed in the Soviet Union. In fur procurement, the mole took 6th place in the country, and in some regions - first, for example, in the Urals and in the middle regions of the European part of the country. Mole skins were harvested in large quantities in the North-West region. Currently this fishery has lost economic importance and continues only in small quantities.

The benefits and harms of moles.

Many people believe that moles eat plants or gnaw their roots. This opinion is wrong. These animals, on the contrary, are beneficial because they destroy harmful insects, their pupae and larvae, as well as slugs, which feed on leaves, stems and flowers. The mole eats pests such as wireworms, cockchafers and mole crickets. In addition, moles loosen the soil, creating a drainage system, which is also useful for the garden. But if moles multiply on the site, then the benefit will turn into harm. In large numbers, these animals can cause significant damage to an agricultural area. They tear up flower beds, lawns, paths and undermine plant roots. In addition, their main food is earthworms, which are very useful for soil formation.