Mammals · Eulipotyphla · Talpidae

Eastern Mole

Scalopus aquaticus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Scalopus aquaticus is the most widespread mole in North America, occurring from southern Canada to northern Mexico. It lives underground in loose, well-drained soils, where it digs two kinds of tunnel: shallow feeding runs that raise the typical ridge of earth across a lawn, and deep galleries where it nests and spends the winter. It feeds on earthworms, grubs and insects. Its hands are enormous, turned outwards like spades, and its eyes are reduced to dots covered by skin.

Weight

30 g – 140 g

Size

11 cm – 17 cm

Lifespan

4 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestGrasslandInsectivore Variable activity Solitary Temperate forest Grassland Mammal

3countries 16parks4same family

Fun facts

The epithet aquaticus is a historical mistake: Linnaeus gave it that name because of its webbed forefeet, believing it to be aquatic, when in fact those hands are spades for digging.
In soft ground it can open more than five metres of tunnel in an hour, pushing the soil upwards rather than hauling it out.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Loose, damp soils of meadows, fields, gardens and open woodland in eastern North America
Sexual maturity: 11 months
Gestation / incubation: 36 days
Litter / clutch size: 3

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalopus_aquaticus