A mole is a small mammal that spends nearly its entire life underground. This subterranean lifestyle has shaped every aspect of its biology. Moles are not herbivores, which exclusively eat plants, nor are they omnivores, which consume both plants and animals. Moles are carnivores, defined by an almost entirely meat-based diet.
Classification of the Mole’s Diet
While the mole is correctly identified as a carnivore, its diet is more specifically categorized as insectivorous. This term describes an animal whose primary food source consists of insects and other small invertebrates. Historically, the biological order Insectivora classified these types of mammals. Moles are now placed in the order Eulipotyphla, but the description of an insectivore remains accurate for their feeding habits.
Carnivores sustain themselves on animal tissue; for the mole, this means consuming invertebrates living in the soil. Unlike large predators, the mole hunts and consumes small, soft-bodied prey instead of vertebrates. While all insectivores are technically carnivores, not all carnivores are insectivores. The mole’s survival depends on a constant supply of protein-rich subterranean life.
Essential Prey and Hunting Methods
The foundation of the mole’s diet is the earthworm, which provides a readily available, protein-dense food source within their tunnel systems. They also consume a wide variety of other invertebrates, including beetle larvae, grubs, centipedes, and slugs. This constant consumption is required because moles possess an extremely high metabolic rate, necessary for fueling their demanding tunneling activity.
Due to this high metabolic demand, a mole must consume food equivalent to 70 to 100 percent of its own body weight every day. The extensive network of tunnels moles dig serves a dual purpose, acting as a passive trap for any prey that falls into the open runway. When a vibration indicates a trapped earthworm, the mole quickly patrols the tunnel to claim its meal.
Moles have developed a method for storing excess food for later consumption. They bite the earthworm near the head to inject a paralytic toxin contained in their saliva. This venom immobilizes the prey without killing it, allowing the mole to store hundreds of live earthworms in specialized underground larders. The star-nosed mole is recognized as one of the fastest foragers among mammals, capable of identifying and consuming a small prey item in a fraction of a second.
Specialized Anatomy for Underground Predation
The mole’s body is highly specialized and perfectly adapted for its predatory, subterranean existence. Their most noticeable features are the large, spade-like forelimbs, which are rotated outward and equipped with powerful claws. This structure provides the mechanical leverage necessary to efficiently “swim” through the soil and displace earth while digging new tunnels.
Their dental structure is suited for their diet, featuring sharp, pointed molars designed for crushing the hard exoskeletons of insects and grubs. The mole’s visual sense is poor, as eyes are often vestigial or covered by skin, making touch the primary tool for hunting. This sensory function is concentrated on their snout, which is covered with thousands of minute tactile receptors called Eimer’s organs.
These dome-shaped organs are densely packed mechanosensory structures that allow the mole to create a detailed tactile map of its dark environment. The European mole’s snout is covered with over 5,000 Eimer’s organs, providing an extremely sensitive touch sense. They rapidly tap their snout against the tunnel floor to detect the slightest textures, movements, and vibrations of potential prey.