Moles can smell earthworms from several feet away using their super noses!
Moles - Facts for Kids
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Facts About Moles For Kids
A mole will eat about half of its body weight in food each day!
Moles make special “food pantries” underground where they store sleeping earthworms for later!
Moles can dig new tunnels or fix broken ones in less than an hour!
Moles use their whiskers to feel their way around in complete darkness!
A mole can tell the difference between yummy and yucky things just by touching them with its nose!
Moles create complex tunnel systems with multiple levels and emergency exits!
When scared, a mole can dig straight down into the soil in seconds to escape danger!
Moles have great memory for places and can remember the layout of their whole tunnel system!
Habitat & Survival
Moles like loose, wet soil that’s full of earthworms and bugs!
Some types of moles can live way up high — up to 15,000 feet (4.57 km) above sea level!
Moles make special water tunnels to keep their homes from getting flooded!
A mole’s tunnel system usually has both shallow eating tunnels and deeper forever tunnels!
Moles can live in many different places, from forests to farms to backyard gardens!
In winter, moles dig deeper tunnels to follow earthworms that move down to escape the cold!
Moles make air holes in their tunnel systems to make sure they can breathe!
Some types of moles can swim well enough to move to new areas across rivers!
A mole’s tunnel system can be used by many baby moles and grandbaby moles!
Moles help make soil better by mixing deeper dirt with surface dirt!
Some types of moles can live in desert areas by following wet spots in the soil!
Moles help control bad bugs in gardens and farms naturally!
Moles make different types of dirt hills depending on the season and what the soil is like!
A mole’s tunnel system has special rooms for keeping food during winter!
Moles can quickly fix broken tunnels to keep their underground highway working!
Some types of moles make volcano-shaped dirt hills that can be up to 2 feet (0.61 m) high!
Life Cycle
Baby moles are born pink and without fur, weighing only about as much as a paperclip — (3 grams)!
Most types of moles have 3–4 babies at one time!
Baby moles start growing fur when they’re about 14 days old!
Young moles leave their mother’s tunnel home when they’re about 5–6 weeks old!
Moles usually have babies once per year, mostly in early spring!
Baby moles start learning to dig when they’re just 4 weeks old!
Mole pregnancies last about 42 days!
Young moles can dig their own tunnels by the time they’re 6 weeks old!
Female moles make special baby rooms lined with leaves for their babies!
Baby moles start eating real food when they’re about 3 weeks old!
Moles grow to full size by the time they’re 4–5 months old!
Young male moles must leave their mother’s territory to find their own area!
Baby moles are called pups and are born completely blind!
Mother moles care for their babies alone, without help from the father!
Mother moles care for their babies alone, without help from the father!
Most moles become independent at around 5–6 weeks of age!
Young moles learn to hunt by following their mother through the tunnels!
Baby moles get twice as heavy in the first week of life!
Moles can have up to 7 babies in a single litter (at one time), but 3-4 is more common!
Diet & Feeding
A single mole can eat up to 50 earthworms in one day!
Moles need to eat every few hours to keep their high energy levels!
Besides earthworms, moles also eat insects, grubs, and centipedes!
Moles can find and catch food in complete darkness using just their sense of touch!
A mole’s favorite food is earthworms, which give them both water and good stuff their bodies need!
