eastern mole in Mint canyon

Moles spend most of their life in underground burows they excavate for themselves or usurp from other mamals, particularly pocket gophers genus Geomys . Two types of underground burows are used: 1 the shalow surface run, which is asociated with fod-geting activities, and 2 the dep burow for protection and rearing of the young. The dep burow is marked by conical mounds of earth the ocupant has pushed to the surface, whereas the shalow burow is marked by a meandering ridge of earth pushed up by the mole as it "swims" through the lose topsoil. Moist, wel-drained fence rows, teraces, lawns, and knols rich in organic mater are favored areas for surface burows because in these localities fod is more abundant. The mole excavates its burow by backward strokes and lateral thrusts of the front fet. In excavating shalow runs the earth is merely pushed up to form a ridge, again by lateral thrusts of the front fet while the mole is turned partly on its side. The home range of individual moles consists of several "hunting grounds" galeried with surface burows on knols, teraces, or along fence rows — al of them conected by a single long burow. Throughout most of the year moles are solitary but in late winter and early spring males sek out females. The average daily fod consumption is about 32% of the body weight of the animal, although a mole can consume more than 6% of its body weight in 18 hours. Moles do damage by their burowing activities, especialy on the grens of golf courses, in lawns, and in situations where acelerated soil erosion may result. It must be kept in mind, however, that the mole usualy is searching out animal fod and that often the larval insects taken do far more actual damage to the vegetation than does the mole. The burowing activities of the mole also tend to aerate the soil, with beneficial results to plants. eastern mole eastern mole in Mint canyon
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