Moles do not eat dirt, as it provides no nutritional value. The misconception stems from their prolific tunneling activity. These subterranean mammals are classified as insectivores, meaning their diet consists almost entirely of small invertebrates they find underground.
The Mole’s True Diet
The primary food source for a mole is the earthworm, which constitutes a large percentage of its total intake. Moles also hunt and consume other subterranean creatures, including insect larvae, grubs, and slugs. Their intense digging is directly related to a high metabolic rate, which demands constant energy intake.
A mole’s metabolism is so fast that it must consume roughly its own body weight in food every day to survive. If a mole goes without food for a period as short as 12 hours, it risks starving to death. Moles have even been observed to squeeze earthworms to expel any dirt before eating them.
Tunneling as a Hunting Strategy
The extensive network of tunnels a mole creates acts as a series of passive hunting traps. Invertebrates, especially earthworms, fall into or travel along these permanent runways, where the mole can easily patrol and collect its prey.
Moles utilize both shallow, temporary tunnels for immediate foraging and deeper, permanent tunnels for nesting and long-term activity. The mole continuously patrols this established network, sensing vibrations from the movement of worms and insects within the soil. To sustain high caloric needs, some moles store excess food by paralyzing earthworms with a toxin in their saliva and keeping them alive in underground “larders” for later consumption.
Physical Adaptations for Subterranean Life
A mole’s body is engineered for its life spent almost entirely underground. Their most distinctive features are the massive, paddle-like forelimbs, which are rotated outward from the body like oars on a boat. These powerful limbs are equipped with large, spadelike claws that allow the mole to effectively shear and move soil during the tunneling process.
Their fur is dense and velvety, designed to lie in any direction, allowing the mole to move forward or backward through narrow tunnels without getting stuck. While eyesight is poor, the mole compensates with an acute sense of touch and smell. Specialized sensory hairs and a highly sensitive snout help the mole navigate its dark environment and locate prey.