Types of Gophers
 

All of our gopher control products will work to get rid of moles from your lawn and garden.

Information About Moles:

Broad-footed Mole Scapanus latimanus Also known as the California Mole.

Coast Mole Scapanus orarius Black fur with hairless tail.

Eastern Mole Scalopus aquaticus The most common of all mole species, prefers soft soil.

Hairy-tailed Mole Parascalops breweri Most moles have bare or sparsely haired tails, prefers loose soil.

Shrew-mole Neurotrichus gibbsii The smallest mole species. At times active ABOVE ground, tunneling through leaf litter.

Star-Nosed Mole Condylura cristata 22 flexible fingers give the star-nose its amazing appearance. A strong, voracious mole.

Townsend’s Mole Scapanus townsendii The largest mole species. Consumes vegetation like a rabbit. Solitary, has lower reproductive rate than other moles.

There are seven species of North American mole. Species include the eastern garden mole of North America, Scalopus aquaticus, which is about 7 inch long with a 1-inch hairless tail. The toes on their feet are slightly webbed and they are most active in the crepuscular hours; those nearest dawn and dusk. The eastern mole has the largest range of any North American mole. The young are weaned and independent within one month and are sexually active by the next breeding season. Males range over a much broader area than females. As they burrow they thrust forward with their forefeet and follow on with their body; rotating their powerful forelimbs while pulling the dirt backwards and to the side. This mole will cause considerable root damage and has voracious energy requirements. Condylure christata, the Star-nosed mole, is a mole with a fantastic appearance. Looking like a visitor from outer space the Star-nosed mole displays a ring of 22 nimble protuberances which circle its snout. When found in marshy environments the Star-nosed mole is equally at home in the water, being a semiaquatic mole. The flexible fingers of its nose ring have been the subject of much scientific study. The ringed protuberances snatch food like an octopus and can also pick up sounds in the water. During the mating season the testes of the male Star-Nosed Mole can represent nearly ten percent of his total body weight. Parascalops breweri, the Hairy-tailed Mole, has a shorter snout and a fox-like tail (relatively speaking) and can be found from Canada to the Carolinas. White spots are often present on the abdomen, the tail is also ringed with scales and covered with long hairs. This mole appears to be most active during the day. Mating in early spring, moles of both sexes winter separately but by the late summer months males, females, and pups all utilize the same tunnel system. The smallest North American mole is the three inch shrew-mole, Neurotrichus gibsii, ranging widely in the Pacific Northwest. Shrew-moles sometimes prefer a forest habitat, and, unlike other moles, spend part of their time above ground. Shrew-moles have the longest known breeding season lasting from February through August. Having high metabolisms they will rapidly die of starvation if deprived of food. Another amazing behavior of this mole is the fact that it sleeps between 2 and 10 minutes before returning to work for periods of 3 to 20 minutes. Most other moles tend to work and sleep in 4 hour shifts. Coast Moles Scapanus orarius are sometimes called pacific moles. They are highly fossorial in behavior. Coast moles are primarily known for the numerous molehills that outline their home ranges. Townsend's Mole is the largest of the western moles, genus Scapanus, and may reach a length of over 9 inches. Townsend's range is narrow when compared with the distribution of the Coast Mole. Scapanus townsendii breeds once a year between mid November and late February. Females prepare the nest with grasses and leaves. She may construct several exit tunnels from her nest. Above ground her nesting construction is often revealed by one large mound or several shorter mounds arranged in a circle.

Moles are found in North America, Europe and Asia. Mole-rats and marsupial moles are not true moles.