Collective nouns, sometimes called terms of venery, assign a specific name to a group of animals. These terms originated centuries ago and continue to capture the public imagination with their unusual and poetic choices. This exploration will uncover the specific term for a group of moles, the history behind such naming conventions, and some remarkable biological facts about these subterranean inhabitants.
The Collective Term for Moles
The most widely recognized collective noun for a group of moles is “a labor.” This term is thought to be derived from the immense amount of work these animals do while tunneling beneath the soil, reflecting their industrious nature. Moles are highly solitary animals, however, so the term is rarely used in a literal context outside of the breeding season.
Other, less common terms also exist for a collection of these burrowing mammals. These secondary options include “a company of moles” or sometimes “a movement of moles.” The use of any of these phrases remains primarily a matter of linguistic trivia rather than a tool of modern biological classification.
Why Animals Have Collective Nouns
The origin of these specialized collective nouns is rooted in the medieval hunting traditions of the 15th century. They are formally known as “terms of venery,” with “venery” being an archaic word for hunting. This practice became fashionable as a way for noblemen to display their knowledge and courtly sophistication.
Many of these unusual terms were compiled in the Book of Saint Albans, first printed in 1486. The nouns were often intended to be descriptive or humorous, such as “a murder of crows” or “an unkindness of ravens.” Knowing the proper term for each animal was a mark of erudition, signaling one’s status within the hunting culture.
The term “labor” for moles fits this historical pattern by emphasizing a perceived characteristic of the animal. This naming tradition created a complex vocabulary that defined the sport of hunting and still provides surprising linguistic footnotes today.
Surprising Facts About Moles
Beyond their collective name, moles possess several specialized biological adaptations that allow them to thrive underground. The star-nosed mole, for example, has an appendage covered with thousands of minute sensory receptors called Eimer’s organs. This elaborate structure functions as a hypersensitive touch organ, allowing the mole to effectively “see” its subterranean world through touch.
This sensory apparatus is so efficient that the star-nosed mole can identify and consume prey in less than a quarter of a second, making it one of the fastest foragers in the animal kingdom. The environment within their tunnels often has low oxygen levels and high concentrations of carbon dioxide.
To cope with this, the common European mole has evolved a unique hemoglobin structure. This specialized blood protein has a higher affinity for oxygen, even in the presence of elevated carbon dioxide levels. This physiological change prevents carbon dioxide from interfering with the blood’s ability to transport oxygen efficiently. These adaptations highlight the specialized nature of these animals that spend their lives in a constantly dark and oxygen-depleted habitat.