Moles are often associated with nighttime activity, leading many to wonder if they are strictly nocturnal creatures. Their subterranean lives reveal an intricate pattern of activity, shaped by their unique biology and constant environmental demands. Moles exhibit a fascinating adaptability in their behavior, rather than adhering to a rigid day-night cycle.
Understanding Mole Activity Patterns
Moles do not strictly follow a nocturnal or diurnal schedule. Instead, they display a “polyphasic” or “crepuscular” activity pattern, meaning they are active in multiple short bursts throughout both day and night, often with heightened activity around dawn and dusk. This continuous activity is directly linked to their metabolic needs, rather than external light cues. They typically engage in periods of activity lasting about four hours, followed by similar periods of rest. Unlike strictly nocturnal animals, moles maintain a flexible schedule, constantly tunneling and searching for food regardless of the time of day.
Life Underground: Drivers of Mole Behavior
A mole’s continuous activity is primarily driven by its high metabolic rate. Moles have a voracious appetite, needing to consume 25% to 100% of their body weight daily to sustain energy levels. This constant need for sustenance means they must continually forage for earthworms, insects, and other small invertebrates in the soil. Their tunneling behavior is a foraging strategy, with elaborate underground networks serving as traps for prey. The consistent temperature and darkness of their subterranean environment mean there is little external variability to dictate their activity, making their internal need for food the overriding factor.
Physical Adaptations for Subterranean Living
Moles possess specialized physical characteristics enabling their unique underground existence. Their powerful forelimbs are short, stout, and strong, ending in large, paddle-like paws with broad, spade-like claws adapted for digging; these limbs rotate outward, allowing a breaststroke-like motion as they excavate tunnels. Moles have very small, inconspicuous eyes, often hidden by fur or skin; their vision is poor and primarily used to detect light changes. They compensate for limited sight with highly developed senses of touch, smell, and hearing, utilizing sensitive snouts, whiskers (vibrissae), and specialized organs like the star-nosed mole’s tentacles to navigate and locate prey. Their fur is short, dense, and velvety, with no particular nap direction, allowing them to move both forward and backward through tight tunnels without resistance.