- Lifespan
- 3–6 years in the wild, occasionally up to 9 years in captivity
- Size & Weight
- 13–16 cm body length; 60–120 g
- Habitat
- Well-drained soils in woodlands, grasslands, gardens, and agricultural areas where earthworms are abundant.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; absent from Ireland and northern Scottish highlands. Resident year-round.
- Diet
- Primarily earthworms, supplemented with insect larvae, pupae, and small invertebrates such as grubs and millipedes.
- Prey
- Earthworms (Lumbricus species), wireworms, leatherjackets, beetle larvae, centipedes
- Predators
- Tawny owls, buzzards, stoats, weasels, and domestic cats; young moles also taken by badgers and foxes.
- Mating Season
- February to April
- Breeding
- Single annual litter of 3–4 young (occasionally 2–7) born March to May after 4-week gestation; young weaned at 4–5 weeks; one brood per year.
- Behaviour
- Solitary and highly territorial, spending most time underground in elaborate burrow systems. Active day and night, with peak foraging periods every few hours. Males are particularly aggressive during the breeding season and may travel above ground seeking mates.