4 



farmers' bulletin 583. 



ACTIVE PERIODS. 



It is commonly believed that the mole works only at regular peri- 

 ods each day, but direct observations taken in late summer and in 

 the fall fail to show that there is any one time of day when it is more 

 active than at others. 



If a slight opening is made into a mole's runway the little ani- 

 mal wdll invariably repair the breach (fig. 2) when it . next comes 

 that way. By taking advantage of this habit one can gain much 

 information by visiting, at short intervals through the day, each of 

 a number of runs in which a small break has been made. In an ex- 

 periment by the ^\?riter 50 runs were thus kept under observation for 

 periods of several days at a time with results indicating that moles 

 are as likely to be found at work one hour of the day or night as 

 another. 



As to seasonal activity, it may be said that moles are probably 

 never dormant, that they never hibernate. They may be trapped at 

 any time of the year when the ground is not frozen too hard to pre- 

 vent the working of the trap. It must be understood, however, that 

 extension of surface runways occurs mainly at times when soil con- 

 ditions are favorable — after rains in the summer or during periods 

 of thawing in the winter. At other times the mole may secure his 

 food by retraversing his old runs or by working at depths unaffected 

 by frost or drought. Movements of soil-inhabiting worms, insects, 

 and larvae tend to bring ever fresh supplies of food into the moles' 

 passageways. 



NATURAL ENEMIES AND CHECKS. 



By reason of its secluded life the mole is little subject to attacks 

 by the many foes of other small mammals. Its burrow is so small 

 that no formidable enemies except weasels or snakes can follow in the 

 passageways, and as it seldom leaves these there is little chance of 

 its being seen by predatory animals. However, the movement of 

 the soil when a mole is working near the surface may readily be de- 

 tected by a watchful foe, and it is probable that hungry foxes and 

 coyotes secure a tidbit now and then by springing suddenly upon a 

 disturbed spot of earth and hurriedly digging out the furry little 

 miner. On the other hand there is evidence that moles are distaste- 

 ful to some animals, for they are seldom eaten by domestic cats and 

 dogs which have learned to catch them. A peculiarly disagreeable 

 odor attaching to the mole may account for its not being relished by 

 the carnivora. It is quite likely, also, that the dense, soft fur is 

 objectionable to some animals. 



Among the birds of prey hawks and owls take small toll from the 

 mole tribe. An examination of the stomach contents of over 2,000 



