What to Know About Moles
The Eastern mole is the most common species found in Ohio. Ranging from around four to six inches long and weighing three to six ounces, moles are insectivores that resemble mice or rats. Although they’re small, they can cause some serious destruction.
Moles burrow underground in search of food, creating a network of tunnels along the way. Although they primarily feed on worms and insects and don’t typically eat plants, all of their digging will leave your grass and landscaping riddled with unsightly mounds of dirt, raised ridges and disturbed soil. These hungry mammals eat up to 100 percent of their body weight each day, which means they have to do a lot of burrowing – sometimes up to 100 feet per day – to find the sustenance they need to survive. If a yard has multiple active moles, that can cause an exponential amount of damage in a short amount of time.
Signs of a Mole Infestation:
- The most obvious signs of activity are molehills, which are the round, volcano-shaped dirt mounds that appear in yards and gardens as the moles tunnel underground. They often appear along pathways, driveways, fences or the edges of homes.
- You may also notice raised surface tunnels running across the top of the yard. Moles use these “feeder tunnels” as places to consume worms and insects.
- Plant damage is another common sign of a mole infestation. Although moles don’t typically feed on plants, they often disturb or shift the roots while burrowing underground.
- If you notice spongy, soft, raised areas in your yard, that could indicate the presence of moles.
