Mole vs vole damage in yards
Moles and voles are not the same animal, they are not related, and they require completely different management approaches. Confusing them is one of the most common garden pest misidentifications. The single most important fact: moles do not eat plants. If your plants are dying, moles are not.
Moles and voles are not the same animal, they are not related, and they require completely different management approaches. Confusing them is one of the most common garden pest misidentifications. The single most important fact: moles do not eat plants. If your plants are dying, moles are not responsible.
Moles (Talpidae)
What moles are and what they eat
Eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus) is the most common mole in eastern North America. Per Penn State Extension, moles are insectivores — they eat earthworms, white grubs, beetle larvae, and soil-dwelling insects. They do not eat plant roots, bulbs, or any vegetation. The widespread belief that moles eat tulip bulbs is incorrect — that is vole behavior.
Mole damage signs
Surface tunnels (shallow runways): Moles push raised ridges of soil just below the surface while foraging. These ridges are typically 1.5–2 inches high, with a soft, spongy feel when stepped on. The turf is heaved upward but the grass may still be green — the roots are being displaced, not consumed. Per Penn State Extension, these shallow foraging tunnels are often abandoned after one use.
Conical mounds (molehills): Deep tunnels used as permanent home bases generate cone-shaped mounds of displaced soil. Per Penn State Extension, the mound is pushed from below and has no opening at the surface — this differentiates mole mounds from gopher mounds, which have a plug at one side.
Secondary plant damage: Mole tunneling near plant roots can desiccate roots by creating air pockets. Per Penn State Extension, the roots of shallow-rooted annuals may be damaged by tunneling adjacent to them, but the mole is not eating the roots — it is displacing soil while hunting insects.
Mole appearance
Eastern mole is 5–7 inches, velvety gray-black fur, virtually no visible eyes or ears, and enormous, paddle-like front feet pointing outward for digging. Per Penn State Extension, moles are almost never seen above ground.