What are Lawn Moles?

Lawn moles are animals that live underground. They are about the same size as a chipmunk. They are typically six to eight inches long (about 15 to 20 cm) and weigh only three to six ounces (about 85 to 170 grams). Usually, the first signs of lawn moles are the tiny mountains and pathways they form on the surface of the ground as they burrow and create tunnels beneath the surface. Many people believe that lawn moles eat the roots of their grass and plants. For this reason, most homeowners want to eradicate the lawn moles living in their yards. In reality, lawn moles are insectivores, which means they eat insects rather than the roots of plants. Their diet mostly consists of grubs and earthworms, with one mole being capable of eating in excess of 140 insects per day. Lawn moles can be beneficial to the garden, as they eat destructive insects such as beetles, snails, and millipedes. Although lawn moles do not eat plant roots, their tunneling action can be destructive because it causes ...  more