Moles are small, specialized mammals belonging to the order Insectivora, meaning they primarily consume insects and other invertebrates. These fossorial creatures are adapted for a life spent almost entirely underground, using their powerful forefeet to move through the soil. Their presence in a yard is a direct response to environmental factors that provide sustenance and a suitable subterranean habitat. Understanding what draws these high-metabolism animals to a lawn is the first step in managing their activity.
The Main Attractant: A Steady Supply of Underground Prey
The primary reason a mole establishes a tunnel system is the abundance of readily available food. Moles have extremely high energy requirements and consume 70 to 80 percent of their body weight daily. This constant need for sustenance drives their relentless tunneling activity as they forage for prey.
The vast majority of a mole’s diet is composed of earthworms, which can account for up to 90 percent of their food intake. Earthworms are a dense and reliable source of protein and moisture, making them the most sought-after prey. While many homeowners assume that white grubs are the main draw, grubs only make up a small fraction of the mole’s diet. A healthy, well-maintained lawn often supports a thriving population of earthworms and other subterranean invertebrates like centipedes, slugs, and spiders.
A high density of earthworms is a far better predictor of mole activity than grubs alone. Moles are insectivores that actively hunt in their tunnels, sensing the movement of prey through the soil. The constant availability of this invertebrate biomass is the overwhelming factor that dictates where a mole will choose to reside and actively forage.
Soil Structure and Habitat Preferences
Once a reliable food source is present, the physical condition of the soil becomes the next factor determining a yard’s attractiveness. Moles require soil that is easy to manipulate and tunnel through, as they can excavate up to 100 feet of new tunnels in a single day. They exhibit a strong preference for loose, loamy, and sandy loam soils that offer minimal resistance to their digging.
Moles actively avoid heavy clay soils, which are dense and require too much energy to push aside. Similarly, dry, compacted soil is difficult to navigate and will often cause a mole to seek out a more yielding territory. Moderately moist soil is also highly desired because it supports high populations of earthworms and allows for easier excavation.
Moles follow their prey, and earthworms move vertically in the soil profile in response to moisture levels. When the soil is moist near the surface, moles will create the shallow feeding tunnels that are visible as raised ridges in the lawn. Conversely, during dry periods, moles dig deeper, permanent tunnels to follow the earthworms that have retreated to more consistently moist soil layers. The combination of easy digging and high moisture content creates the optimal habitat.
Factors That Do Not Attract Moles
Many common beliefs regarding mole attraction misunderstand the animal’s biology and diet. Moles are not drawn to a yard by specific plants or the presence of roots, as they are strict insectivores and do not consume vegetation. Any damage to plant roots is incidental, occurring only when a mole tunnels directly through the root system while searching for invertebrates.
Surface debris, such as wood piles or garden waste, is generally irrelevant unless it contributes to a localized increase in underground insect populations. The idea that standing water or minor flooding attracts moles is inaccurate; while they prefer moist soil, moles move away from saturated areas that are difficult to tunnel through. Their presence is tied exclusively to two main requirements: abundant food and favorable digging conditions.
Focusing on grub removal through insecticide use is often ineffective because it fails to address their primary food source, the earthworm. The only conditions that will cause a mole to relocate naturally are the depletion of their invertebrate prey or a change in soil structure that makes tunneling too strenuous. The most attractive yard provides a high-calorie, easily accessible underground pantry.