What does the mole eat in the forest? Moles in the Garden and the Garden: Benefit and Harm

Many people have heard about moles, but they have been seen in the nature of the unit. Villagers usually find out not the animal itself, but traces of its presence on the grounds of the estate. At the same time, they immediately take measures to free the site of uninvited animals, because they know something about moles: what they eat, how they see, how they hear.

Description of moles

Moles are miniature predators 10-25 cm long, which build a dwelling under the ground with the help of strong front paws. The length of their tail is equal to the size of the head. The skin of animals is covered with a short and soft fur, easily stacked from front to back, and in the opposite direction. Due to this, the mole can easily move along the dug underground tunnels, both forward and backward. The color of the skin varies from dark gray to black tones.

The animals have tiny eyes. In individual individuals, they hide under the skin, almost fused with it. Underground creatures, despite the presence of the eyes, are blind. Barely visible organs of vision are atrophied by them - they are not equipped with retina and pupil.

The animals have no ears, or rather, they are covered with a dense skin or are intertwined with it. This excludes the penetration of the earth into the ears. The functions of the auditory organs in moles are atrophied.

Animals are guided by an acute scent. The nose of the animals was transformed into a mobile process, constantly sniffing the space and looking for prey. They have a well developed sense of orientation. They label the habitat with a special secretion. This allows them to find their labyrinths and learn about the invasion of strangers into their home.

Mole - shrew, he perfectly adapted to life in the ground. He rakes the earth with powerful paws-blades with strong claws, which are flattened at the top. The animal loosens the hard ground, breaks the hole and builds an intricate network of highways that merge into an intricate labyrinth, where the mole feeds and makes supplies, pours and multiplies.

Reproduction

The animals mate in the first spring days. Offspring appear once a year, not earlier than April-June. 3-9 blind and naked cubs are found in the litter. The young ones make quiet sounds, like a chicken squeak. Initially, the young are friendly, but over time, aggressive broilage occurs in the brood.

Monthly moles are difficult to distinguish from adult individuals. At this age, the animals begin to leave their maternal habitat and build their own mains. In the migration period, if necessary, they swim small rivulets.

Habitat

The mole's habitat is in the west of Russia, Siberia and the east of the Urals, or rather, their forest tracts and forest-steppe zones. They choose regions with wet soils that are easy to dig and are rich in what the mole feeds in the forest and on the bordering territories. The bulk of animals leads an underground way of life, engaged in laying tunnel tunnels.

Some animals prefer a terrestrial way of life, which allows them to look for food without special difficulties. However, because of the features of the structure of the front legs, designed to tear the ground, on land moles have to move only crawling. Dense twilight and night - the hours of activity of these animals.

In the steppe and taiga open spaces there is not enough of what moles eat in the forest (due to acidic and dry soils). However, they are occasionally found in these zones, mastering flood meadows and river floodplains, overgrown with shrub thickets.

Food

Moles have increased metabolism. This is the reason for their excessive gluttony. Earthworms, rootlets and plants are what moles eat in the forest and on its outskirts. If the worms are in excess, the animals, immobilizing them, form an edible stock.

Having eaten 20 grams of worms at a time, the animal folds into a ball and sleeps for about 5 hours. A waking animal immediately takes up a search for food. Trabznichaet mole 3-4 times a day. To saturate, 60 to 80 grams of feed are enough. Moles do not go into hibernation, their activity does not die out all year round.

What the mole feeds in the forest also does not stop life. The animal follows the worms even under the snow cover. He tirelessly engaged in laying the snow-covered fodder highways. Liveness creeps into a network of mole tunnels. It attracts the musky smell of animals and fever. Mole can only collect the prey.

Mole is an insectivorous animal. Bugs, larvae, insects and worms are what the mole feeds in the forest and in the water meadows. And he is a predatory animal, feeding on small rodents, arthropods of different sizes. It's not a problem for him to eat, for example, a lizard.

Benefit from moles

These shrews are valued for the magnificent fur skins used in the fur industry. Strong molehills are covered with thick fur. In the furs market, the need for skins of the animal is quite high.

Due to the way of life of these animals, the soil condition improves. Their "labor activity" on agricultural lands brings significant benefits. True, they are able to maim the rhizomes of plants, and because of molehills it is difficult to mow down grass.

Is the mole dangerous for humans?

There is no direct threat from moles to humans. However, this earth-moving creature is ranked by the summer residents to the main problems in the garden and vegetable plots. The fact is that farmers have a headache when moles are found in the garden and vegetable garden. The benefits and harm from them go literally hand in hand.

Moles are harmful to lawns. It is not difficult to dig tunnels under the area under cultivation. The root system of groomed lawn grasses is shallow. Under the turf lies not clinging earth - a place of huge concentration of earthworms. In this place, food is easily extracted.

A swarm of tunnels, a beast spoils the rhizomes of cultivated plants. Because of its activities, fruit and vegetable crops are dying. In addition, he does not shun the destruction of plantations and crops.

In addition, destroying what the mole feeds in the forest - worms and frogs that benefit the soil, the animal harms the land plot. Due to the disappearance of useful animals, the soil deteriorates, insect pests are bred on it.