Moles are known to require half of their own weight in juicy earthworms daily to survive (captive moles are reportedly able to consume nearly 100 worms daily!). Upon finding an earthworm, the mole quickly pins it
writhing prey to the ground with its forefeet. With the assistance of a dexterous snout, the mole then locates
the earthworm's head and ravenously beings to tear and swallow chunks of its snack.

The forefeet and head of the mole work in unison to produce a stripping effect, which eliminates most of the soil and grit from within the worm - similar to squeezing a tube of toothpaste.

Moles are also known to stockpile earthworms by nipping off their first few segments which immobilizes them. They are then carted off to a subterranean pantry for future use. The small, secretive and harmless Shrew-mole is not considered a pest so it will be excluded from the remainder of this discussion.

Our focus will now turn to the Coast mole, Broad-footed mole and the Townsend's mole who many consider pests because of their prolific molehill production. It is these three species that are the target of professional mole trappers.

Moles have evolved into tunneling specialists. Their broad, powerful forefeet are each armed with five strong claws designed for shearing soil. In fact, these three species have an extra bone in their forefeet which effectively widens their shoveling surface. In stark contrast are the hind-feet which are small and narrow. With this equipment and their streamlined bodies a mole is capable of digging over 60 feet of tunnel in one day! This may result in the production of up to 200 mounds in the course of a fall and winter per mole! A mole can literally swim through the loose soil found in the flower beds and vegetable gardens while searching for prey. Occasionally, this action will uproot small and newly bedded plants.