Moles are of the family of Talpidae and are primarily subterranean hunters. Their prey consist of worms and insects and these voracious little creatures can consume up to 80% of their body weight day. These mammals are found throughout most of North America, Europe and Asia although curiously, like snakes, they are absent from Ireland and several other small islands in the British Isles. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/194.shtml These animals are expert burrowers and although their hearing and sight organs have deteriorated to the point where they are barely useful their noses have developed a keen sense of smell and ability to detect minute variations in vibration through touch. http://nyfalls.com/wildlife/Wildlife-mammals-moles.html
Having moles present is a mixed blessing as far as the gardener or homeowner is concerned. While they do a very good job of tilling the land and eliminating insects they also can leave unsightly burrows and mounds thereby disrupting a lawn or disturb the roots of plants in a garden or field. In general most homeowners, gardeners and farmers consider them a nuisance to be gotten rid of.
North America
In North America there are seven known species of mole which are the Broad-Footed Mole, Coast Mole, Eastern Mole(also called the common mole), Hairy Tailed Mole, Shrew mole (smallest species of mole), Star-nosed Mole, and the Townsends Mole ( Largest species of mole). In the United States especially moles are considered to be a serious threat to the lawns and gardens of homeowners. Large sums of money are spent every year to get rid of these animals so that lawns will look beautiful and gardens will flourish. http://www.ksr.ku.edu/libres/mammals_of_kansas/mole.html
Removing Moles
Moles disrupt the yard and the garden making an unsightly mess and disturbing plants. How can one get rid of these creatures and in so doing save your yard? The most effective way in the long run is to eliminate the moles food source by killing off the grubs and insects that they search for. If that is not within your reach then sonic repellents work but only for a limited time until the moles become familiar with the disturbance. Traps can also work but take time and diligence. In all moles can be eliminated from your yard but it will take time and patience and definitely cannot be done overnight. http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/GETTING_RID_OF_MOLES_IN_YARD-Bugs_and_Pests-1-F117.html
Moles
Moles are of the family of Talpidae and are primarily subterranean hunters. Their prey consist of worms and insects and these voracious little creatures can consume up to 80% of their body weight day. These mammals are found throughout most of North America, Europe and Asia although curiously like snakes they are absent from Ireland and several other small islands in the British Isles. 7 These animals are expert burrowers and although their hearing and sight organs have deteriorated to the point where they are barely useful their noses have developed a keen sense of smell and ability to detect minute variations in vibration through touch.8
Moles
Moles are of the family of Talpidae and are primarily subterranean hunters. Their prey consist of worms and insects and these voracious little creatures can consume up to 80% of their body weight day. These mammals are found throughout most of North America, Europe and Asia although curiously like snakes they are absent from Ireland and several other small islands in the British Isles. 7 These animals are expert burrowers and although their hearing and sight organs have deteriorated to the point where they are barely useful their noses have developed a keen sense of smell and ability to detect minute variations in vibration through touch.8
References
Fast Facts
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Family
Talpidae
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Location
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Number of Species in North America
7
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Known Species
29
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Problem
Disrupt Lawns and Gardens
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Food
