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There are seven North American mole species: the eastern mole, hairy-tailed mole, star-nosed mole, broad-footed mole, Townsend’s mole, coast mole, and shrew mole. The most wide-ranging is the eastern mole, which is found from eastern Texas, north to southern South Dakota and eastward to the Atlantic Ocean. See, also > http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/view_default.asp?curGroupID=5&curFamilyID=552 Moles have a hairless, pointed snout and small eyes. For the most part, moles live in seclusion and underground burrows and rarely come to the surface. These mammals are solitary and rarely do more than 2 or 3 moles occupy the same burrow system. Moles have a very high metabolic rate and, therefore, have to consume large amounts of food. The home range of these insectivores is almost 20 times larger than that of a pocket gopher. Because of the extensive tunneling and length of the tunnels, it may appear that many moles occupy an area. For the most part, moles prefer moist soil with high populations of grubs and earthworms. That is why moles are often a menace on golf courses and lawns. As you fertilize and care for grass, this attracts worms and grubs, which in turn attracts moles and provides a food base for the mammal. Moles are not social animals. The gestation period for moles is about 42 days and they have an average of 5 young in March to April. Because of their behavior, moles have few predators. It is a rare occasion to see a mole as it moves near a tunnel entrance. Moles tend to be very aggressive and will kill and consume voles or mice that may venture into their tunnels. The mammal will consume about 85% of its body weight in food daily. A study on eastern moles revealed that the majority of food found in the stomach contained white grubs and earthworm. Beetles, beetle larvae, and other larvae were also present. Ants, wasps, flies and other various insects were also noted.