Without a grammatical error I am Russian. “I don’t like Russian speech without a grammatical error.”
Moles (Talpidae) are a family of insectivorous mammals of small and medium size. Many people, especially those who have garden plots, have observed traces of mole activity - heaps of earth (molehills), but perhaps few have seen the animals themselves.
The Mole family (Talpidae) consists of 42 species in 17 genera of three subfamilies. Relatives of moles are muskrats (subfamily Desmaninae), which lead a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
Today in the subfamily Moles (Talpinae) there are 40 species in 15 genera.
Moles are common in Europe, North America and in Asia. Not found at all in Africa.
Several species live in Russia: 4 species from the genus of common moles (Talpa) and 2 from the genus Mogera (Mogera).
The Siberian mole (T. altaica) is found from the Irtysh River to Transbaikalia.
Siberian mole
On the territory North Caucasus Caucasian moles (T. caucasica) and small moles (T. levantis) live here.
Caucasian mole
On Far East There are two species of eastern moles - the Ussuri Mogera (Mogera robusta) and the Japanese Mogera (M. wogura).
Mogera ussuriensis
But the most famous and widespread is the common (European) mole (Talpa europaea), whose habitat covers the forest and forest-steppe zones of the Russian Federation and partly Western Siberia.
In biology different types moles have a lot in common - they are all underground inhabitants, arranging extended galleries that serve for moving and collecting food, nesting chambers and storage areas for supplies. Unlike rodents, which use their teeth to dig the ground, all moles dig the ground with their front paws and are more sensitive to the hardness of the soil, which limits their spread and the depth of their galleries. The forelimbs of animals are perfectly suited for digging. The hands are very wide, almost round with five large powerful claws. Turned in a vertical plane with the palm facing outward, they resemble a pair of oars. The least strong paws are those of eastern moles, which live only in loose layers of soil and in litter, and do not make molehills.
The fur of moles is short, uniform in length and does not interfere with the animals’ movement in underground passages in any direction. Only the Chinese shrew species have hard spine fur, so they cannot move backwards in an underground tunnel. The fur color is uniform, usually brownish-black or gray.
Common mole
The most famous representative of the genus of common moles (Talpa) is the common mole itself, also known as the European mole (Talpa europaea).
The body length of the animal is 12–16 cm, weight 70–120 g. The body is roll-shaped, the tail is short. The muzzle is elongated and flattened. The eyes are very small. The hands are wide, edged with bristly hairs and flat claws, approximately equal on all fingers. The forelimb bears additional lateral bones on the side of the bases of the fifth and first fingers. The hands are turned with the palms back.
Common mole (Talpa europaea)
Thick and short velvety fur stands almost vertically, which allows the animal to move in narrow passages in any direction. Due to constant friction against the walls of the burrows, the mole's fur quickly wears out, so there are 3-4 molts during the year.
The common mole inhabits the forest and forest-steppe zones of Europe and the Trans-Urals from the north of the Iberian Peninsula to the south of Western Siberia. He prefers to settle in areas with forest vegetation and tries not to go out into open spaces. The main condition for existence is moderately moist soils rich in humus. Avoids areas with marshy and sandy soils.
Leads a solitary lifestyle. Each animal occupies a certain area and builds its own system of burrows. It is completely intolerant of the presence of individuals of its own species. Usually sedentary, but young moles during the settlement period move 1–4 km from their birthplace.
The mole makes its nest in dense soil, usually under tree roots, stumps or other objects protecting from above. The animal is characterized by polyphasic daily activity - periods of feeding are replaced by short, about 4 hours, periods of sleep. The time spent awake depends on the abundance of food.
The mole has a high metabolic rate and is forced to eat quite often; after 10–12 hours of fasting, it dies.
Active all year round. In winter, it usually feeds in the ground layer of snow, partly by mining the forest floor, partly by digging tunnels in the snow.
The basis of the diet is earthworms. It also eats other invertebrates, mainly insects and their larvae; on occasion, it catches small rodents, lizards, and frogs caught in its passages.
Reproduction begins in March–April. The duration of pregnancy is about 40 days. There is 1 litter of 3–9 cubs per year. Newborns are naked, blind and helpless, but they grow very quickly, and within a month they already reach the size of adults. At the age of 1–1.5 months, the young disperse.
The lifespan of moles is 4-5 years.
Japanese shrew mole
Genus Japanese shrew moles (Urotrichus) are sometimes classified as a separate subfamily; less often approach American shrew moles (genus Neurotrichus). There are 2 species in the genus (sometimes each is classified as a separate genus). In appearance they resemble shrews with a bushy tail, but the forelimbs are digging, and the eyes are hidden under the skin.
The Japanese shrew mole (Urotrichus talpoides) lives on the Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, Dogo and Tsushima. Found in forests and meadows with tall grass.
Japanese shrew mole (Urotrichus talpoides)
Body length is 5–10 cm. The front part of the muzzle is greatly elongated, the long movable proboscis is covered with vibrissae. The ears are small. The hands of the forelimbs are only slightly widened. The tail is quite long and pubescent. Sometimes fat reserves are deposited in the tail.
Very common in suitable biotopes. It makes passages in the litter and upper layers of soil, actively moves in search of food also on the surface of the ground, sometimes climbing low trees and bushes. In winter, these animals are sometimes found frozen in birdhouses hanging at a height of 2–4 meters. Unlike ordinary moles, they are quite tolerant of representatives of their own species.
Reproduction occurs in April–May. The female brings one litter per year, usually consisting of three cubs.
Star-nosed mole
Star-nosed moles, or star-nosed moles (genus Condylura), living in North America, are very similar in structure to the common mole, but have a long tail, and prefer to search for their prey by actively swimming and diving in the water.
This species boasts a unique nose, divided into many small tentacles that resemble coral in appearance. The tentacles are covered with thousands of receptors and help the mole in searching for food.
In the photo, the star-nosed mole shows off its amazing nose.
Star-nosed mole
If most species prefer a solitary lifestyle, then the starfish is an exception to this rule. In this species, the male and female can live together during the winter.
Lifestyle of moles
The mole spends most of its time underground. Most individuals are active both during the day and at night. During the day they have several periods of activity lasting 3-4 hours, and during breaks the animals rest in the nest.
Typically, moles lead a sedentary lifestyle, but in hot and dry weather, some individuals leave their usual areas and move 1-1.5 km away from them, going to rivers to drink.
Die-hard loners
Most species lead a solitary lifestyle. Each animal has its own individual area. Moles zealously defend their entire territory, or at least a significant part of it. This applies not only to males, but also to females, who are especially aggressive towards members of their own sex during the breeding season. Females and males meet only for a short time to procreate. After mating has occurred, the male disappears from the life of the female, taking no part either in arranging the nest for the offspring or in their upbringing.
Population densities vary by species and habitat. In spring, males significantly increase the size of their territories. In a mole population, there are usually from 5 to 30 individuals per 1 hectare.
Although neighboring animals each live in their own tunnel system, their territories still overlap to some extent. However, they try to avoid encounters with each other and feed in non-adjacent parts of their areas.
When a mole dies, the neighbors quickly notice its absence, and the most efficient one seizes the vacated territory. Sometimes a plot may be divided between neighbors.
Moles communicate their presence and ownership of a specific area using scent marks. Both males and females have preputial glands that produce a strong-smelling secretion. It accumulates in the fur on the animal’s belly, and when moving, it spreads along the bottom of the tunnels. In the absence of such a smell, the territory is quickly captured.
What do moles eat?
Most of the mole's diet consists of invertebrates. About 90% of food is obtained from tunnels (feeding passages). The animals eat everything that is available in a certain place, but if there is a choice, they prefer earthworms, beetle larvae and slugs.
In October and November, the common mole stores supplies of worms immobilized by a bite next to the nest. They found reserves of worms and insect larvae in his possession exceeding 2 kg!
Molehills
Moles spend most of their time underground, but when developing a new area they often come to the surface. The passages of one animal occupy a huge area and are of two types. The living passages run at a depth of 6–90 cm, have a diameter of about 5 cm and are used to move the animal from the nest to feeding areas, watering places, etc. Moves of the second type are used to search for food. They are laid close to the surface of the earth in a layer where earthworms and soil insects are most common and the soil is minimally dense. The network of moves covers large areas. Traces of hunting can be seen on the surface of the earth in the form of long soil ridges formed by swollen arches of passages. Such traces remain when a mole digs too close to the soil surface and the archway does not withstand the pressure of the animal.
When digging new tunnels, the mole rests with its hind limbs and digs with its front limbs, which alternately cut into the soil and move to the side and back. Then the animal compacts the soil with its powerful head, pressing it into the walls of the passage. When constructing holes at a depth of more than 10 cm, the mole can no longer lift the arch with its head and is forced to throw the excavated soil to the surface. Thanks to this, the presence of a residential passage can be detected by characteristic heaps of discarded soil - molehills. They can be 15-25 cm high and reach a diameter of one meter. Usually molehills are located in small groups.
Molehills are the most obvious sign of the presence of these animals, and often the only thing people see.
The appearance of offspring
The mating season for moles is short. Breeding time varies depending on geographical latitude habitats.
Moles usually produce only one litter per year. Pregnancy, depending on the species, lasts from 30 days (for the common mole) to 42 days (for the Eastern American mole).
The young are born in the nest, and a brood usually contains 2 to 7 young. Babies are born naked, but after 2 weeks they are completely covered with fur, and at the age of 22 days they open their eyes. For about a month, small moles feed on their mother's milk, and at the age of about 35 days they leave their mother's nest and go in search of unoccupied territory. At this time, many young animals die from the teeth of predators or under the wheels of cars.
Enemies in nature
In nature, moles have few enemies: due to the specific smell, predators practically do not eat these animals. Foxes, cats and dogs catch them more out of “sporting” interest. And only badgers can eat them.
However, pets to some extent control the number of moles and rodents near humans. It has been noticed that in private houses and cottages where there are pets - cats and dogs, there are practically no moles in the areas.
Moles: benefits and harm
The common mole is of greatest economic importance. In the past, this animal was considered as an object of fur trade. Mole fur is beautiful and quite durable. It gained particular popularity at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, when the harvesting of skins was carried out on such a massive scale that the species began to need protection. Record figures were achieved in 1928, when 20 million skins were mined worldwide. In the USSR, mole hunting was carried out until the 1980s. Today they are not mined in Russia, which has become one of the reasons for the increase in their numbers. In addition, mild winters and improved conditions for its reproduction and nutrition, which include the spread of well-groomed lawns and flower beds, and an increase in the number of greenhouses for growing plants, favor the growth of common mole populations.
By exterminating plant pests such as chafer larvae, click beetles, mole crickets and others, moles undoubtedly benefit agriculture and forestry. It is impossible not to note their contribution to the processes of soil formation: the animals loosen the soil and, thanks to their tunnels, the process of aeration occurs in the soil, which can save the area from becoming swampy.
However, we also have to deal with the negative consequences of the digging activity of these animals. Thus, numerous molehills reduce the productivity of pastures and lead to changes in plant communities, to damage to agricultural machinery during mechanized harvesting. Moles do not feed directly on plants, but when digging they can cause direct harm to them, pushing seedlings out of the ground or digging up roots, which, depending on weather conditions, leads to the plants getting wet, drying out, or freezing. The construction of burrows by moles sometimes leads to damage to drainage systems.
However, it is necessary to distinguish the harmful activities of moles from the harm caused by mouse-like rodents. First of all, you need to pay attention to the presence or absence of gnawed plants. If gnaws are found on plants, the culprits are mouse-like rodents. Rodents' burrows usually have open exits, while moles create molehills, which, as a rule, do not have an opening. Molehills are often confused with the soil discharges of the water vole, which switches to an underground habitat in the fall. Invasion by a vole may be indicated by flattened outbursts, gnawed roots, or parts of plants stored in burrows.
The fate of many moles around the world is to die at the hands of farmers. For many centuries they have been caught in traps and poisoned with chemicals.
The fauna underground is no less diverse than above. The underground mole is another living creature among the thousands of underground inhabitants.
Mole - underground dweller
If you notice a low mound of loose earth in a field or garden, you can be sure that a mole lives under it. His entire life passes underground, only in the rarest cases does he rise to the surface. This mammal inhabits large areas of North America and Eurasia.
How a mole adapted to life underground
Wise nature made sure that the mole could live comfortably underground. The body is oval-shaped, dense, the head is connected to it by a thick neck, the muzzle with a wide forehead is elongated with a narrow stigma - all this helps the mole to move easily and freely underground.
The animal has no eyes as such, only small holes, half-covered by fur. There are underground moles in which they are generally densely overgrown. And an underground dweller does not need vision. But their hearing is well developed, despite the absence of ears - only special leathery folds protect the ear openings from soil.
Mole - the greatest tunnel digger
The mole's front paws are very similar to small shovels. With them he deftly and quickly rake the ground and dig passages. At the same time, five well-developed fingers in the hand also help in the digging process.
And even wool is a helper for the mole underground. The beautiful, shiny, brown or black coat consists of straight growing hairs. As a result, when moving through underground passages, they lie in the right direction and do not interfere with his movement.
A mole's life underground
The mole stays underground all day and night and is on the move almost all the time, digging tunnels. It usually settles in places where the soil is moist and easy to dig. These are forest edges, meadow and floodplain lowlands. They do this work for a reason; they are looking for food, which is why the passages are called feeding passages.
They are located shallow, only 5–10 cm underground, but the permanent passages are at a depth of 15–20 cm. He does not have enough strength to lift such a thickness with his head; he has to push out part of the earth after a short distance. It turns out the so-called otnorok. It’s easy to see where it will appear: suddenly the soil begins to move slightly, then the loose part rises and grows before our eyes, becoming a mound.
Favorite food is earthworms. They even store them for the winter in their burrow. And so that the worms do not escape and remain alive, but paralyzed, the moles bite off their heads. The pointed teeth of the predator catch both pupae and larvae, as well as adult insects. And even a mouse or a shrew is too tough for him!
What does a mole eat?
Moles eat a lot, as they lose a lot of energy when digging. So it turns out to be a vicious circle: you want to eat - you have to dig the ground - while you are digging - you want to eat again. Without food, it can only live for 12 hours, so it has to go hunting both at night and during the day.
Contrary to popular belief that moles spoil root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, moles do not. Mouse-like rodents are crop eaters. Because plant foods he doesn't eat. And this opinion appeared due to the fact that when digging tunnels, the roots of plants are undermined and disturbed, and this is why they die.
Settling in gardens and orchards, moles, with their underground passages and numerous mounds, disturb the integrity of the soil. If it is a lawn, it will be difficult to walk through it with a lawn mower, and the beauty of flower beds can be spoiled by dug-up soil.
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.” In 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 in size, 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' vision is poorly developed, 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. The teeth of different species of animals have different shapes. 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, 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 with 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 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 best appearance. 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 the southeast of 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 glades, edges, meadows, broad-leaved 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 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 its habitat, the mole creates a complex system of burrows, passages, and dens. 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 through more deep tunnels, which connect the most complex near-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 star-nosed bat (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 go for a long time without food. In winter, 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 brief description 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 in 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 Ciscaucasia, Transcaucasia and Greater Caucasus, as well as on the Black Sea coast of Turkey.
- Siberian mole (Altai mole) (lat.Talpa altaica) - a species from the genus of common moles. Distribution area of the animal - Western Siberia, western 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, the black color takes on a smoky tint. 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 on the southern islands of Japan.
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- 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 mogera’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, the East China and the Sea of Japan. 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.
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- 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. The animals prefer moist 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 mole breeding season depends on climatic conditions and the quality of habitats. 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.
According to various 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 ranging from 3 to 10. Moles usually 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, and wild 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 physical activity, without performing the usual excavation work, and will die from obesity. Feeding a mole in captivity is quite difficult. In addition, animals are very sensitive to various sounds and vibrations, which 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 North-West region. Currently, this fishery has lost its 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.