Have you found gnawed plant roots in the garden and want to know if a mole is behind them? We can assure you: it wasn't the mole. Moles are pure carnivores. Find out below what a mole eats and who is responsible for eaten roots.
Moles love our garden pests like grubs and insect larvae
The Diet of Moles
Moles love insects, which is why they are quite useful in the garden: they like to eat pests and other insects such as:
- grubs,
- snails,
- Worms,
- Be crazy,
- caterpillars
- and insect larvae.
Every now and then even a small mouse can fall victim to it. Thus, the mole is a very helpful garden dweller. The mole does not like vegetarian food such as roots, vegetables or other plants.
The Digestion of Moles
Moles have a very fast digestion, which is why they have to eat a lot. They have to eat about half their body weight every day. With a body weight of around 100g, that's about 50g of insects. The mole does not survive longer breaks without food. Therefore, the mole creates pantries with live earthworms and does not hibernate, but only digs a little deeper for earthworms and co.
How does the mole find its food?
Moles are nearly blind. But they have an impressively good sense of hearing. With this you can hear earthworms and other insects in their corridors and specifically adjust them. This excellent sense is supplemented by special whiskers on the snout, with which they feel their food and immediate surroundings.
tips
The mole digs sophisticated tunnel systems with a length of up to 100 meters.
Eaten roots in the garden
If you're harvesting grazed vegetables in the garden, there's a good chance you're dealing with a vole. The good news is that voles are considered pests and as such are less protected than moles, which are illegal to kill and hunt. However, you should also avoid using killing traps when fighting the vole. You can find out here which means of repelling a vole are available.