Moles are insectivore pests that live underground and it is highly unlikely that you will spot them, but their damage is clearly visible in the garden area. These pests are known for digging deep into the soil and making tunnels and hills which damage landscape and lawns. This post is to help you in understanding what is a mole hill and a tunnel and how can these cause damage to your lawn.



What are mole hills?
A hill is usually the conical structure and mole hill is the structure created by moles on the surface of lawns, gardens and yards. It is a conical structure made of loose soil which is created by moles by digging deep into the soil and is thus referred as mole hill. These mole hills have their roots underground. Moles dig underground to make tunnels and these tunnels open on the surface of the ground in the form of hills. These mole hills can be 12 to 18 inches deep depending upon moles and the area of the garden.

How are mole hills formed- Linkage between mole hills and tunnels
Mole hills are visible on the surface of the garden, but they are formed by uprooting all the plants underground and the soil which gets removed due to formation of tunnels is used to make those hills. If these hills are dug deeper then this leads to accumulation of soil on the surface leading to increase in the height of hills. If you look at the hills closely then look like mini volcanoes because they are open from top but instead of lava, earth, soil and stones come out of it. This is because moles come out of these holes to breathe some air and then find their food through the tunnels.

Why do moles form tunnels and hills?
Moles feed on earthworms and other insects in the garden area which are generally found deep under the soil. To scavenge these worms, moles dig deep under the ground leading to formation of tunnels and mole hills. The food supply of moles comes from underground; hence they dig into soil with moisture where probability of finding worms is high.

Do tunnels cause any damage?
Tunnels and molehills can ruin the aesthetics of the garden and decrease the productivity because earthworms help in keeping soil aerated and remove unwanted weed plants which can damage the crops. Tunnels lead to uprooting of all the plants and the infrastructure of the garden and cause massive damage.

The tunnels gradually increase if no preventive measures are taken to get rid of moles. These tunnels are used by various other pests such as mice and rodents to search for their food and find an easy path to the residential areas. These tunnels are gateway for pests and can thus damage your yards and greens. Hence, it is necessary that if you spot mole hill or tunnel in your garden then preventive measures should be taken before structural damage, hassle and stress sets in!

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