Moles in the Pacific Northwest

Family: Talpidae

Scapanus townsendii

Scapanus orarius

Neurotrichus gibbsii

Did you know:

A mole can move backward almost as fast as it can move forwards. No wonder they are so hard to catch!

Those little critters can can dig about 75 feet of tunnels in a day. That's a lot of lawn.

In the spring and summer months, moles expand their territory to accomodate their expanding population.

Moles dig their main tunnels and then they dig temporary tunnels which they seldon reuse because they would rather dig new ones in their search for food.

During the mating season, the testes of the male Star-Nosed Mole account for nearly ten percent of his total body weight! 

Moles breed in the spring. Gestation takes about 42 days and a brood has about four or five young. By midsummer they are all blasting through your lawn and by next spring the young are ready to reproduce!

Most moles tend to work and sleep in four hour shifts.