Mole: description and photo

Even small children know that this animal does not see anything. Older people know that the mole is an ordinary mammal. In this article, we'll look at how it lives, what it eats and what this little animal does.

Mole is ordinary. Description

Representatives of this species can live in the forest, field, steppe and meadow. There is often a European or ordinary (Talpa europaea). In the place of his dwelling is always dark, so he has no eyes. Although some individuals have small organs of vision, the only function of which is to distinguish light from darkness.

How did it initially become known that the mole is an ordinary mammal? On this thought, people pushed a bunch of soil on the surface of the earth. This is the so-called molehills. Watching them, and discovered this animal. Later, when studying it, a person determined that the sight of a mole is absent. At the same time, the animal develops other sensory organs that make it possible to use , to a large extent, the sense of smell, touch and hearing. His ears are located inside.

Special Constitution

Mole is a small animal, only 10-20 centimeters in length. Behind his body is a tail. Its length is 2 centimeters. In addition, the structure of the body also allows the mole to move without obstruction underground. The skin is covered with a smooth, short fur coat, pleasant to the touch. It does not interfere with turning and backing in the dark aisles, due to the fact that it grows up, and not in the direction of the back. Most often the animal has a wool of black color, although sometimes there are exceptions in the form of ash or brown hues. But still fur is not immune from damage. After all, move around the mole in a tight space.

Reverse

To restore hair in time, these animals molt 3-4 times a year. The most beautiful fur they grow after the autumn molt, which begins in late October. In winter, it grows higher and thicker, and in the summer comes "relief" and the coat becomes shorter and less often. The muzzle in the animal is elongated and covered with sensitive hairs.

It is known that an ordinary mole can "walk" backwards. This opportunity is due to the vibrissae growing on the tail. He has a special tool to facilitate movement. An ordinary mole digs under the ground passages, with the help of his paws. If you look at it closely, you can see that they are wide, powerful, equipped with strong claws. These "shovels" and works mole, moving in the endless underground tunnels.

The Prose of Life

Moles sleep several times a day: for 2-3 hours. In winter they do not hibernate, but move in deep, non-freezing layers of soil. It would seem that under the earth moles are not threatened. But this is not so. At the moment when it appears at the surface of the earth, throwing out excess soil, it can grab the martens, foxes, birds of prey. Although they do this only when it is not possible to obtain other food. Because the smell of a mole is unpleasant to another animal. In addition, various diseases and parasites, such as fleas, mites, and worms, pose a danger to them. Under favorable conditions these animals live 3-5 years. Moles do not get along well with each other. They fight for territory, do not live with their families and are not ashamed to eat their comrade, after his death.

Food

Mole is called a pest, because, moving underground in the garden, he bites the roots of plants, which then perish. But it is a mistake to think that this animal uses greens for food. He is far from being a herbivore. What does the mole eat ? He's insectivorous. He eats the mole of all the representatives of invertebrates that come across him on the way: mollusks, larvae, worms, slugs, millipedes, lice. It happens that lizards, mice and frogs fall into it. This kid is a terrible glutton. This is not surprising, because small mammals have to eat a lot to maintain the heat of their body. On the day he consumes a quantity of food equal to his weight (60-100 grams). In winter, he eats what he managed to stock up.

Increasing the number

An ordinary mole tries to leave offspring, like any other creature on our planet. For this purpose, the male mates with the female. Usually this happens in March or April. In a month the female brings offspring in the number from 4 to 9 cubs. Initially, they are not covered with hair, very small and need constant care. Therefore, the mother is next to them, until the crofts reach the age of 1.5 months.

Mole House

This animal not only creeps under the ground. He equips himself with a house that is covered with dry grass. In addition, the purpose of the moves that the mole constructs is different. One way, he makes his way to the watering place, the stern and his nest, while others serve as traps for insects and invertebrates. An ordinary mole arranges a house at a depth of 1.5-2 meters. Most of the housing will be located between the roots or under the buildings. There are no restrictions on the depth of moves that are added to a multi-tiered system. If the soil is loose, then the mole can go down by 100 meters. The "corridors" he dug up to them are saved for a long time. If they are not destroyed by other animals or humans, several generations of moles can live in them.

These animals work with their paws at high speed, so there are a lot of twisting passages under the ground. The obstacle for them is a "heavy" soil. Mole is especially bad during a drought. He could even die if he could not crawl through the dead part of the soil. Traps for future food products Mole ordinary does not go deep. Interestingly, its smell, which repels predators, attracts worms. They creep into the moves they made, where they are usually eaten. Mole holes are used by other animals, for example, mice. And shrews often penetrate the food courses specially to eat worms.

Do they need nature and people?

If such an animal exists, then there is some benefit from it. Not everyone can determine what it is. Especially those who have country plots or live in their own home. Such people know that a mole is a pest. Paving the way, it damages plants that can die. Crotwins spoil the appearance of lawns and lawns. From their activities, the number of earthworms useful for soil is reduced. The hosts are trying to get rid of such an unpleasant neighborhood. To do this, apply both modern and traditional means, try to do everything to the mole left their site. But at the same time, this animal eats pests and loosens the soil. Hence, there is still some benefit from it. The main thing is that he should work away from homeownership.

It is hard to imagine who could come up with the idea of sewing a fur coat from a mole fur. This idea of the creator of the first such product, probably, was pushed by the softness and silkiness of the animal's fur. Yes, these coats look attractive, unusual and exclusive. But they are expensive. Do from such a fur and other products. We can say that this is how a man avenges a mole for a spoiled vegetable garden.