March 25, 2016
The virtues of moles
Mole.
It’s a word that has several meanings, depending on pronunciation and context. It can describe a skin growth; a spy; a unit of measurement in chemistry; or the national dish of Mexico.
It’s also the common name for Scalopus aquaticus, an animal we’ve been talking about quite a bit lately here at Hickory Knolls.
Warmer ground temperatures have brought about an increase in activity for our friend the eastern, or common, mole. The trails in our natural area are crisscrossed with linear, inch-tall ridges—a sure sign that these small, subterranean mammals are hard at work.
In case there was any doubt of their relevance, I also saw mention of them on Facebook. Yep, right there among the updates on my friends’ kids and grandkids, and rants about presidential candidates, up popped a picture of an eastern mole.
Excited to learn more, I clicked on the link. But what I read made me a little sad. Rather than touting this animal’s amazing strength, or its ability to control populations of troubling insects, the University of Illinois Extension article listed the pros and cons of various ways to kill moles. Jaw traps. Plunger traps. Loop traps. Soft baits laced with poison—which make me shudder. What happens to the owl that swoops down and gobbles up the disoriented and dying mole? The column also debunked the rumor that Juicy Fruit and bubble gum will remedy a mole problem.
I may be alone in this opinion, but I’ve always thought of moles as cool. They literally swim through the soil, chugging along at rates as high as 15 feet per hour. To aid in their digging, their feet are webbed–a trait that contributed to a mistaken belief that moles are related to water shrews; hence the species name “aquaticus.” Their fur is wonderfully soft and plush, yet short enough to not get mussed—a wonderful adaptation for an animal that spends its life inside tunnels, and does somersaults to change direction.
Perhaps best of all, moles eat insects. Lots and lots of insects. In fact, to me, moles are the bats of the underground.
Bats fly around eating insects; moles dig through soil eating insects and other invertebrates. Both groups of animals often are thought of as rodents, but in truth neither are. (Maybe this will help: Moles, with an “M,” are insectivores. Voles, with a “V,” are rodents.)
Also, because both groups of animals are rarely seen by people, they are subject the usual host of myths and misconceptions. But whereas bats, in recent years, have had the benefit of positive PR (“Bats eat mosquitoes!” is a common refrain) moles still have a stigma attached to their lowly, ground-dwelling existence. Basically they get about as much respect as the dirt through which they tunnel.
What I wasn’t able to figure out was why. Every mole species account I’ve ever read describes what these animals eat and, let me tell you, their diet is impressive in its scope of noxious organisms—precisely the sorts of things people spend lots of time, money and chemicals trying to eliminate. Carpenter ants. May beetles. Japanese beetle grubs. Slugs.
Granted, moles are opportunistic feeders. They’re not going to go out of their way to eat only the creatures we consider detrimental. Moles consume an awful lot of earthworms too, and we all know how beneficial worms can be to soil, right?
Ah, but as long-time Good Natured readers might recall, earthworms are not native to our area. Introduced over the last couple hundred years both accidentally and on purpose, earthworms might be welcome in a garden but present a huge threat to the ecology of our local woodlands. They accelerate the breakdown of leaf litter and other detritus, which then creates a cascade of ill effects among our other native decomposers.
Not surprisingly, I’ve spent a lot of time over the years praising the virtues of moles and their insect- and worm-eating ways. I even keep a stuffed mole in a small jewelry box, so I can show folks just how neat these animals are.
I know their tunneling habits can create mounds and soft spots in otherwise picture-perfect lawns. But, ecologically speaking, lawns are big problems in and of themselves. They require constant maintenance, which results in air pollution and water waste, as well as nutrient overload in our streams—all the while offering little in return. No pollen for pollinators. No habitat to speak of—no shelter, and only small amounts of food with limited nutrient values.
Maybe next time you see a ridge of raised turf, rather than shaking a fist or muttering phrases that are at best unflattering, consider the many benefits moles—the mammals–provide. When you add them up, they far outweigh any gains you might derive from any other types of mole.
Except maybe mole sauce. Ladled over chicken, with a side of posole and a signature margarita…but I digress…
Pam Otto is the manager of nature programs and interpretive services at the Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, a facility of the St. Charles Park District. She can be reached at 630-513-4346 or potto@stcparks.org.
Holey moley! This well-traveled Scalopus aquaticus, a preserved specimen that dates back to 2002, exhibits two fine qualities that are often overlooked: strong forelimbs complete with webbed, shovel-like paws and soft, plush fur.
(Photo credit: Jeanette Joy)