Yes, moles are present in Florida, although they are rarely seen because they spend nearly their entire lives underground. These mammals are common across the state, existing in lawns, parks, and wooded areas where the soil is suitable for tunneling. While they often go unnoticed, their activity just beneath the surface leaves behind visible signs of their presence. Homeowners often realize they have a mole problem when they see this evidence.
The Florida Mole: Species Confirmation and Range
The primary species of mole found throughout Florida is the Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus). While this species is found across most of the state, certain subspecies, such as the Anastasia Island mole and the Englewood mole, have highly restricted local ranges.
The Eastern Mole is adapted for a burrowing existence. Their bodies are cylindrical, typically measuring between 5.5 to 8.0 inches in length, including a short, sparsely furred tail. Their most distinctive feature is their massive, spade-like forepaws, which are rotated outward to act as powerful excavators. Their dense, velvety fur allows them to move both forward and backward in their tunnels without snagging on the soil.
Identifying Mole Activity vs. Other Burrowers
Determining whether damage is caused by a mole or another Florida burrower relies on examining the signs they leave behind. Moles create two distinct types of evidence: raised ridges and volcano-shaped mounds. The raised ridges are shallow foraging tunnels pushed up just beneath the turf as the mole searches for food. Walking on these areas often feels spongy or uneven because the soil underneath has been loosened.
Mole mounds, or molehills, are typically conical and symmetrical, resembling small volcanoes. They are formed when the mole pushes excavated dirt vertically to the surface from a deep, permanent tunnel. In contrast, the Southeastern Pocket Gopher creates fan-shaped mounds with an off-center plug where the tunnel entrance is sealed. Voles leave small, clean, round holes without mounds and often create visible surface runways through the grass. Moles are insectivores, so they do not eat plant roots, unlike gophers and voles, which are herbivores.
Natural History and Diet
Moles are constant foragers, requiring a large amount of food daily, sometimes consuming more than 66% of their body weight in 18 hours. Their diet consists predominantly of insects and other invertebrates. Primary food sources include earthworms, beetle larvae, grubs, and ants, which they detect using their highly sensitive snouts.
Their subterranean lifestyle requires them to be active year-round, as they do not hibernate. They establish both shallow, temporary foraging runs and deeper, permanent tunnels for nesting and protection. Mating typically occurs in late winter or early spring. Females give birth to a single litter of two to five young, which are raised in a deep nest chamber and leave the burrow after about four weeks. Moles are also beneficial for soil health because their tunneling mixes and aerates the soil.
Mitigating Mole Damage on Property
Management to reduce mole activity often involves a combination of habitat modification and direct control methods. Moles are attracted to moist soil, which makes digging easier and encourages their food sources to move closer to the surface. Reducing lawn watering frequency can make the habitat less appealing to them.
Controlling the mole’s food supply, particularly large populations of white grubs and other insect larvae, is an effective, long-term strategy. Trapping is generally considered the most effective direct removal method, especially when placed in active, main tunnels. Exclusion techniques, such as burying a fine mesh barrier vertically around garden beds, can prevent moles from entering specific areas.