Moles spend nearly their entire lives hidden beneath the earth’s surface. While rarely seen, these underground dwellers leave noticeable signs of their activity, prompting curiosity about their presence in Florida. Understanding their characteristics, habitats, and specific indicators helps identify them.
Moles That Call Florida Home
Moles reside in Florida, with the Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus) being the most common species throughout the state. The Star-nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) is rare in Florida, typically inhabiting wet, marshy areas. Moles are not rodents; they belong to the order Insectivora, which includes shrews and hedgehogs.
The Eastern Mole has physical characteristics suited for digging. It measures 4.5 to 6.5 inches long, with a short, sparsely haired tail. Its dense, velvety fur, usually brown to dark gray, allows movement through tunnels without collecting dirt. Their powerful, shovel-like forelimbs, with large claws and outward-facing palms, are designed for pushing soil. They also have a pointed, hairless snout and small eyes, primarily used to detect light.
Life Underground: Habitat and Diet
Eastern Moles thrive in various Florida habitats, especially those with loose, moist soil that facilitates tunneling. They are found in wooded areas, lawns, gardens, and fields, often preferring well-drained soils like dune sand or rich forest humus. They construct tunnel systems, including deeper burrows for nesting and living chambers 6 to 12 inches below the surface, and shallower tunnels for foraging. Moles can tunnel up to 18 feet per hour in favorable soil conditions.
Moles primarily eat invertebrates, making them insectivores. Their food sources include earthworms, grubs, and insects like mole crickets, beetle larvae, and ants. They use acute senses of touch and smell to locate prey. Moles do not consume plant roots; however, their tunneling can disturb root systems, potentially stressing plants. They paralyze earthworms and store them in underground chambers as a food reserve.
Spotting the Signs of Moles
Identifying moles relies on recognizing the distinct signs they leave on the surface. One indicator is raised ridges, which are shallow foraging tunnels just beneath the grass or soil. These surface tunnels appear as squiggly, elevated lines, about two inches wide, and can cause sunken or squishy patches in a lawn. Mole activity is more noticeable in spring and fall when soil is moist and food sources are closer to the surface.
Another sign of mole activity is molehills, small, conical mounds of soil pushed up from deeper tunnels. These mounds range from a few inches to a foot wide and several inches high. Molehills indicate deeper excavation, often related to permanent tunnels or nesting chambers. While both moles and gophers create mounds, molehills are typically cone-shaped with finer soil, whereas gopher mounds are crescent-shaped with a plugged opening.