Dead mole (Talpa europaea) on ground 112040_Mole
Moles are the majority of the members of the mammal family Talpidae in the order Soricomorpha. Although moles burrow, some species are semi-aquatic. Moles have cylindrical bodies covered in fur, with the ears generally not visible. They have small or covered eyes, and can probably still tell night from day, although they are otherwise blind. Moles eat small invertebrates living underground. Moles can be found in most parts of North America, Asia, and Europe, although there are no moles in Ireland. A mole's diet primarily consists of earthworms and other small invertebrates found in the soil and also a variety of nuts. Because their saliva contains a toxin that can paralyze earthworms, moles are able to store their still living prey for later consumption. They construct special underground "larders" for just this purpose—researchers have discovered such larders with over a thousand earthworms in them. Before eating earthworms, moles pull them between their squeezed paws to force the collected earth and dirt out of the worm's gut. The Star-nosed Mole can detect, catch and eat food faster than the human eye can follow (under .3 seconds). Although the mole can be eaten, the taste is said to be deeply unpleasant.
Size: 4590px × 3055px
Location: Pembrokeshire wales
Photo credit: © DV Wildlife / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: animal, blind, dead, eater, europaea, furry, garden, grey, hand, hill, mammal, mole, molehill, moles, moleskin, nose, pest, silky, snout, soft, soricomorpha, talpa, talpidae, taupe, vermin, vermine, wildlife, worm
