Moles dig very quickly and far. Mole tunnels can be up to 200m long. But how deep are the corridors? That depends on the season! Find out below how deep and quickly a mole digs and why this varies depending on the season.
How deep does a mole dig its burrows?
The depth of mole burrows varies depending on the season: in summer they are 10 to 40cm deep, while the living chamber is 50 to 100cm deep. In winter, moles dig burrows 50 to 100cm deep and in extreme cases even up to 1.5m deep.
The Mole's Burrow
Moles are very hardworking and surprisingly fast. They dig5 to 15 meters per hour! However, the corridors do not run linearly, but are often circular and overlap. The corridors usually run slightly downwards at a slight angle and lead into pantries or into the living or breeding chamber. In a mole burrow there are several storage chambers, a watering hole and a living and nesting chamber lined with moss, grass and other soft materials. Each corridor has its purpose: there is a main entrance, an emergency exit, ventilation corridors, hunting corridors and simple walking corridors. The mole inhabits its burrow alone.
How deep does the mole dig in summer?
In summer, the mole burrows relatively close to the surface: most burrows are only10 up to 40cm deep. While the pantries are also at about this depth, the living chamber is at a depth of 50 to 100cm.
How deep does the mole dig in winter?
Moles don't hibernate. This means that they also go looking for food in winter. Although they build up a small supply of live worms, they still need supplies every now and then, because moles eat the equivalent of their own body weight per day. Since higher layers of the earth are frozen in winter and worms and insects also retreat to deeper layers, the mole digs deeper in winter, namely50 to 100cm deep, in particularly harsh winters even up to 1, 5m.
Tip
You found a mole in winter? The hypothermic animal will almost certainly need help. Warm it up, then (!) offer it food and water and take it to the vet.
