Moles are small, insectivorous mammals that spend most of their lives beneath the soil surface. Their presence is usually only revealed by the mounds of dirt, called molehills, that appear in lawns and fields. This subterranean existence often causes confusion about their daily habits, particularly whether they are active during daylight hours. Understanding their activity cycle and specialized underground environment clarifies why surface sightings are rare.
Understanding Mole Activity Cycles
Moles are neither strictly nocturnal nor strictly diurnal; their activity is not tied to the presence or absence of light. Instead, moles follow a polyphasic activity pattern, involving multiple short bursts of activity interspersed with periods of rest throughout a 24-hour cycle. This cycle is driven by their high metabolic rate and constant requirement for food.
Due to this high energy need, a mole must forage continuously, sometimes eating up to 100% of its body weight in earthworms and other invertebrates daily. Periods of intense activity typically last around four hours, followed by a rest period of similar length, cycling repeatedly throughout the day and night. Studies have identified two primary activity peaks: one during the day and another late at night.
This constant, short-burst schedule ensures the mole is always patrolling its tunnel network to capture prey, regardless of the time of day. Mole activity is regulated more by its stomach clock than by the solar clock. This perpetual need for sustenance is the largest factor determining when a mole is active.
Life Underground: The Mole’s Environment
Moles are adapted to their fossorial (burrowing) lifestyle, which explains why they are seldom observed on the surface. Their short, powerful forelimbs are rotated outward and possess large, spadelike claws, making them efficient excavators. This specialized anatomy allows the mole to move through soil using a motion similar to the breaststroke.
Their fur is dense and velvety with no discernible nap, allowing it to be brushed in any direction without resistance. This feature allows the mole to move backward and forward easily within its narrow tunnels. Moles navigate their dark world using an acute sense of touch and smell, as their tiny eyes are poorly developed and only capable of detecting light and dark. The snout is tipped with thousands of microscopic sensory structures that detect environmental details and prey movement.
The underground environment consists of two main tunnel types: shallow feeding tunnels and deep, permanent systems. Shallow tunnels are where the mole actively hunts for earthworms and larvae, often creating the raised ridges visible on the surface. The deep tunnels contain permanent chambers for nesting and food storage, sometimes including specialized areas where moles store paralyzed worms. A single mole can create an extensive network spanning several acres.
Reasons Moles Are Seen Above Ground
While their lives are primarily subterranean, specific circumstances may force a mole to venture onto the surface. Surface travel is risky due to exposure to predators like owls, foxes, and cats. The most common reason for a surface sighting involves the dispersal of young moles.
Juvenile moles, typically in the spring and summer, must leave their mother’s established territory to seek a new, unoccupied area. This search requires them to travel above ground, often resulting in temporary surface appearances until they can begin burrowing. Environmental pressures can also drive a mole to the surface.
Heavy rainfall or flooding can quickly inundate a tunnel system, forcing the mole to evacuate to avoid drowning. Moles instinctively head for higher ground in these cases. Conversely, severe drought can cause the soil to become too hard for efficient digging and drive the mole’s invertebrate food source deeper. When prey becomes scarce, a mole may briefly surface to search for a more hospitable location.