Discover the Underground World: Top 10 Fun and Fascinating Facts About Moles You Never Knew!

1. Garden Pest Control Experts

Gardeners of the world, unite in your battle against a fearsome lawn assailant: Moley McMoleface and his crew of underground dwellers! These blind diggers have a tunnel vision for success: they can chow down on 60-90% of their body weight in slugs, grubs, insect larvae, and spiders every day, effectively curbing garden pests and maintaining a balanced ecosystem!
Source => almanac.com

2. Construction Superstars

Move over, Bob the Builder - there's a new construction superstar in town, and it doesn't even require a hard hat! Behold the mighty mole: These underground architects can create up to 150 feet of new tunnels each day, excavating at a breathtaking pace of 18 feet per hour.
Source => hgic.clemson.edu

Did you know hedgehogs can curl up into an impenetrable sphere with up to 7,000 spines made of the same material as human hair? Discover more about these flexible yoga masters!

=> Fun Facts about Hedgehogs

3. TMNT's Tunneling Rivals

Moles, the tunneling experts who put the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to shame: they mainly use their sense of touch and smell to navigate their subterranean labyrinth and catch dinner, despite actually having eyes – which are tiny and closed permanently for their own protection while digging.
Source => willyswilderness.org

4. Light-Sensitive Moles

Who needs night vision goggles when you're a mole wearing a built-in light sensitive bodysuit? The Iberian mole certainly has a leg-up on its burrowing brethren: Even with permanently closed eyelids, this blind creature is able to detect changes in light and darkness, all thanks to its thin skin which allows some light to pass through, and eyes that have retained basic vision, despite adapting to an underground lifestyle. Sneaky mole superpowers might even provide insights into human congenital eye diseases!
Source => newscientist.com

5. Unrivaled Soilscape Architects

Moles: nature's subterranean architects, putting our lawn care efforts to shame with their unparalleled soilscape construction skills! With a daily dose of digging prowess and a knack for tunneling turf: these little dirt-dwellers can excavate up to 150 feet of new passageways in just one day, reaching depths of 10 feet. Using their paddle-shaped feet and fierce claws, moles create sprawling underground networks fit for shelter, storage, and snagging a scrumptious earthworm snack.
Source => hgic.clemson.edu

6. High Six-Extra Thumb Moles

Moles are the only critters that can give a high six and a wink in the underground world: These crafty creatures possess an extra thumb on each forepaw, giving them a unique advantage in digging with their shovel-like limbs that efficiently plow through the soil.
Source => paws.org

7. Speedy Gourmet Diggers

When the star-nosed mole goes out to dine, there's no need to worry about a five-star rating – it's more concerned about the 25,000 senses in its star-shaped schnoz: The mole's nose houses thousands of Eimer's organs, granting it super sensitivity and gourmet-level snacking skills. This little underground epicure can decide if something's worth eating in a mere 25 milliseconds, earning it the title of world's fastest forager in the Guinness Book of World Records. Bon appétit, Mole-amie!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Earthworm-Whispering Hoarders

Moles: crafty subterranean hoarders or misunderstood worm whisperers? It's a dirty little secret: Moles consume up to their body weight in food daily, majorly feasting on earthworms, beetles, and insects, and they ingeniously store paralyzed earthworms (thanks to their toxic saliva) as a fresh food stash for the winter months.
Source => wythamwoods.ox.ac.uk

9. Aquatic Mole Superheroes

Step aside, Aquaman: Pyrenean desmans are the real superheroes of the aquatic world! With webbed feet and fringed hairs that'd make any sea creature green with envy, these mini mole-like mammals have mastered the art of river navigation. But, alas, their powers cannot save them from habitat fragmentation and water pollution, which is why they're now a globally threatened species.
Source => animalia.bio

10. Earthworm's Public Enemy

If earthworms had a hit list, moles would be Public Enemy Number One. These masterful diggers are like the loan sharks of the insect world, hounding their slithery borrowers at breakneck speeds, and always collecting their daily pound of flesh: Moles consume a staggering 75%-80% of their body weight in earthworms each day and can excavate up to a foot per minute in pursuit of their prey, while still managing to live a bizarrely efficient lifestyle that alternates between activity and sleep every two hours.
Source => morningagclips.com