Common mole: description and photo

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:48

Even small children know that this animal cannot see anything. Older people know that the common mole is a soil mammal. In this article, we will look at how this little animal lives, what it eats and what it does.

Common mole. Description

Representatives of this species can live in the forest, field, steppe and meadow. Often found European or ordinary (Talpa europaea). It is always dark in its habitat, and therefore it has no eyes. Although some individuals have small organs of vision, the only function of which is to distinguish light from darkness.

How did it initially become known that the common mole is a soil animal? This idea was prompted by piles of soil on the surface of the earth. These are the so-called molehills. Watching them, and found this animal. Later, while studying it, a person determined that the mole had no vision. At the same time, the animal has developed other sense organs, which make it possible to use smell, touch and hearing to a large extent. His ears are inside.

Specialconstitution

The common mole is a small animal, only 10-20 centimeters long. Behind his body is a tail. Its length is 2 centimeters. In addition, the body structure also allows the mole to move underground without interference. Its skin is covered with smooth, short fur, pleasant to the touch. It does not interfere with turning and backing in dark passages, due to the fact that it grows upwards, and not backwards. Most often, the animal has a black coat, although sometimes there are exceptions in the form of ashy or brown shades. But still, the fur is not immune from damage. After all, the mole has to move in a cramped space.

Reverse run

To restore their hair in time, these animals shed 3-4 times a year. They acquire the most beautiful fur after the autumn molt, which begins at the end of October. In winter, it grows taller and thicker, and in the summer, “relief” comes again and the coat becomes shorter and thinner. The muzzle of the animal is elongated and covered with sensitive hairs.

It is known that the common mole can "walk" backwards. He has this opportunity thanks to the vibrissae growing on the tail. He has a special tool that facilitates movement. An ordinary mole digs underground passages with the help of its paws. If you look at it closer, you can see that they are wide, powerful, equipped with strong claws. These "shovels" are used by the mole, moving in endless underground tunnels.

Prose of life

Moles sleepseveral times a day: 2-3 hours. In winter, they do not hibernate, but move in deep, non-freezing layers of soil. It would seem that nothing threatens the moles under the ground. But it's not. At the moment when it appears at the surface of the earth, throwing out excess soil, it can be grabbed by martens, foxes, and birds of prey. Although they do this only when it is impossible to get other food. Because the smell of a mole is unpleasant to other animals. In addition, various diseases and parasites, such as fleas, ticks, and worms, pose a danger to them. In favorable conditions, these animals live 3-5 years. Moles do not get along well with each other. They fight for territory, do not live in families and will not hesitate to eat their comrade after his death.

Food

The mole is called a pest because, moving underground in vegetable gardens, it gnaws the roots of plants, which then die. But it is a mistake to think that this animal eats greens for food. He is far from a herbivore. What does the common mole eat? He is insectivorous. The mole eats all representatives of invertebrates that come across it on the way: mollusks, larvae, worms, slugs, centipedes, wood lice. It happens that he gets lizards, mice and frogs. This kid is a terrible glutton. This is not surprising, because small mammals have to eat a lot to keep their body warm. On the day he consumes the amount of food equal to his weight (60-100 grams). In winter, he eats what he managed to stock up.

Increase in numbers

The common mole seeks to leave offspring, like any other creature on our planet. For this purpose, the male mates with the female. This usually happens in March or April. A month later, the female brings offspring in the amount of 4 to 9 cubs. Initially, they are not covered with wool, are very small and need constant care. Therefore, the mother is next to them until the moles reach the age of 1.5 months.

Mole House

This animal not only crawls underground. He equips himself with a house that is covered with dry grass. In addition, the purpose of the moves that the mole makes is different. One by one, he makes his way to a watering place, food and his nest, while others serve as traps for insects and invertebrates. An ordinary mole arranges for itself a house at a depth of 1.5-2 meters. Most often, housing will be located between roots or under buildings. There are no restrictions on the depth of moves that add up to a multi-tiered system. If the soil is loose, then the mole can go down 100 meters. The "corridors" dug by him are preserved for a long time. If they are not destroyed by other animals or people, several generations of moles can live in them.

These animals work with their paws at high speed, so there are a lot of winding passages underground. The "heavy" ground serves as an obstacle for them. The mole is especially bad during a drought. It may even die if it fails to crawl through a shriveled patch of soil. The common mole makes traps for future food products shallow. Interestingly, its smell,which repels predators, attracts worms. They crawl into the passages they have made, where they are usually eaten. Other animals also use wormholes, such as mice. And shrews often enter feeding passages specifically to eat worms.

Do nature and people need them?

If such an animal exists, then it must be of some use. Not everyone will be able to determine what it consists of. Especially those who have suburban areas or live in their own home. Such people know that the mole is a pest. Laying moves, he damages plants that may die. Molehills spoil the appearance of lawns and lawns. From their activity, the number of earthworms useful for the soil decreases. The owners are trying to get rid of such an unpleasant neighborhood. To do this, they use both modern and folk remedies, they try to do everything so that the mole leaves their site. But at the same time, this animal eats pests and loosens the soil. So, there is still some use for it. The main thing is that he should work away from the household plot.

It's hard to imagine who could come up with the idea to sew a fur coat out of mole fur. This thought of the creator of the first such product was probably prompted by the softness and silkiness of the animal's coat. Yes, such fur coats look attractive, unusual and exclusive. But they are expensive. Other products are made from such fur. It can be said that this is how a person takes revenge on the mole for spoiling the gardens.