The Probert Encyclopaedia of Nature

COMMON MOLE

The common mole or northern mole (Talpa europaea) is a short, black, velvety furred mammal with a broad cylindrical body and heavily clawed feet, a tail carried erect and a generally bright pink nose. The common mole is abundant in deciduous woodland, arable fields and permanent pasture, avoiding stony, sandy, waterlogged soil because it cannot construct a proper burrow system, and acid soil because of a lack of suitable earthworm species. The common mole builds semi-permanent burrows (ranging from shallow to more than 100 cm deep) plus one or more sleeping chamber which is lined with moss, grass and leaves, woven into a tight ball in which the animal climbs in and re-seals the entrance. The nest may form the hub from which burrows radiate - sometimes creating a large fortress built over the nest. The hills often contain a large supply of the mole's food - earthworms
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