What Do Moles Eat
Moles are small mammals that are best known for being virtually blind and for living underground in tunnels. They can be found in many parts of North America, Asia and Europe. In some of these areas they are considered to be pests because they burrow underground and create molehills, which kills the grass and damages plants. If you have ever wondered what the diet of these interesting animals, continue reading to find out.
What do moles eat?
The main diet of the mole is earthworms. The saliva of a mole contains a toxin that causes paralysis of the earthworm. This means that they can store the live, but paralyzed, worms and eat them at a later time. In fact, moles create special underground areas, called larders, to store the worms. Researchers have found larders with over 1000 earthworms stored for later consumption. Before eating a worm the mole pulls them between their paws to remove the dirt from the worms stomach. Moles are also known to eat other small insects and are also partial to a variety of nuts.
Did you know?
Even though moles are considered to be blind most experts agree that they are able to tell night from day.
Queen Alexandra was famous for ordering a mole fur garment to create demand for the fur. This created a way to turn the pest problem in Scotland into a thriving industry.
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