Basic Information
Moles belong to the family Talpidae, which includes 42 different species of small mammals that spend most of their time underground!
Moles - Facts for Kids
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Facts About Moles For Kids
A group of moles is called a “labor,” which is a perfect name since these animals work hard digging tunnels all day long!
The most common mole in North America is the Eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus), which can be found from Canada all the way down to Florida!
Even though their name means “aquatic,” Eastern moles aren’t water animals — they mostly live underground! They can swim if needed, but they’re better at digging than diving!
A male mole is called a “boar,” a female is called a “sow,” and baby moles are called “pups”!
Most moles live between 3–6 years in the wild, but some can live up to 7 years when kept safe from animals that hunt them!
The Star-nosed mole has 22 pink tentacles on its snout, which contain more than 100,000 nerve endings — that’s six times more touch sensors than in a human hand!
Moles eat bugs and creepy crawlies, which means they mainly eat insects and other small squiggly creatures!
The European mole can dig up to 65 feet (20 meters) of tunnels in a single day — that’s longer than a school bus!
Moles have been around for over 30 million years, with fossil records showing they haven’t changed much since then!
A mole’s heart beats about 200 times per minute, which helps them stay energetic while digging their tunnels!
The word “mole” comes from the Old English word “mouldwarp,” which means “earth thrower”!
Moles can be found on every continent except Antarctica and South America!
Most moles spend 99% of their lives underground in their tunnel systems!
There are three main types of mole tunnels: surface runways, deep permanent tunnels, and feeding tunnels!
Moles don’t hibernate — they stay active all year round, even during winter!
A mole’s spit has special stuff that can make earthworms stop moving, helping them store live food for later!
Some moles can push soil that’s 32 times their own body weight!
Moles live up to 6 years in the wild, but pet moles usually live only about 2 years because it’s hard to recreate their underground home and food indoors!
Physical Characteristics
Most moles are between 4–7 inches (10 to 18 cm) long, about the size of a bar of soap!
A grown-up mole weighs between 65 to 140 grams (2.3 to 4.9 ounces), about as much as a small apple!
Moles have special blood parts that help them breathe underground where there’s not much air!
A mole’s fur can lie flat in any direction, which helps them move forward and backward in their tunnels easily!
The Star-nosed mole’s tentacles are so good at feeling things, they can figure out what something is in just 8 tiny moments — that’s faster than you can blink!
Moles’ front paws are specially made for digging, with an extra thumb that gives them more gripping power!
A mole’s eyes are only about as big as the tip of a pin!
Moles don’t have outside ear flaps, which helps them move through soil without getting dirt in their ears!
The fur of a mole changes direction when brushed, just like soft velvet cloth!
A mole’s nose has about 150,000 tiny feeling spots, making it super good at touching and feeling vibrations!
Most moles have 44 teeth, which they use to catch and crunch their food!
A mole’s front paws can dig through soil at a speed of 1 foot per minute!
The golden mole’s fur actually sparkles with rainbow colors, even though it lives underground!
Moles have special proteins in their noses that can detect tiny vibrations from moving insects!
A mole’s blood has special hemoglobin that lets them use air again and again, better than most animals!
The skin on a mole’s nose is 6 times better at feeling things than a human’s hand!
A mole’s front paws are as wide as they are long, shaped like perfect tiny shovels!
The Star-nosed mole’s tentacles are so good at feeling that they can feel tiny ground shakings from food moving underground!
Moles have super-soft fur that keep dirt from sticking to them while they dig!
Behavior & Intelligence
Moles mostly like to live alone and only meet up with others when it’s time to have babies!
A mole can dig a 300-foot tunnel system in just one day!
Moles use their super-feeling noses to make mind maps of their tunnel systems!
Moles are busy both day and night, usually working for 4 hours, then resting for 4 hours!
When two moles meet in a tunnel, one will back up into a side tunnel to let the other pass!
Moles mark their home areas using special smell spots, just like cats do!
A single mole can take care of a tunnel system that’s bigger than two football fields! That’s a lot of digging for one little animal!
Moles make special rooms in their tunnels for sleeping and keeping food!
Moles can run through their tunnels at speeds up to 1.5 miles per hour (2.41 km/h)!
Moles have super-soft fur that doesn’t get messy, so they don’t need to comb it.
When digging, moles push soil up to the surface making those bumpy molehills you see!
