Eastern Mole

 Small and gray or brown, the Eastern mole has lovely velvety fur and a hairless tail. It can grow from about 4 to 7 inches long and  lives in the moist sandy soil, very rarely seen above ground.   The Eastern Mole has very thick claws for its size, that are helpful in its life burrowing below the ground.  The Eastern Mole will spend most of it’s life beneath the surface of the earth.

The claws of an Eastern Mole are thick and sturdy

After a rainstorm it will move through tunnels and passageways, seeking out earthworms, larvae of various insects and other food prey.

The passages that the Eastern Mole digs will be at least a foot below the surface, and they use them as permanent retreats from things such as rain, hail and even drought.

The eastern mole is notorious for its hatred of its own kind and even a chance encounter with another Eastern mole, particularly one of the same sex will quite often lead to a fight to the death. Except during the mating season, the Eastern mole lives a completely solitary life under ordinary circumstances.

The Eastern Mole is an admirable digger

Mating takes place in spring time  and about four weeks after mating the female will give birth to 3 to 5 offspring in an underground nest which she will line with fur, grass and dried out plant materials.

It is far more common to see raised areas in the lawn than to see the actual Eastern Mole, and although they do do some damage to lawns, they also do a great deal of good by eating insects and other pests in the area.