Nearly all of Pennsylvania’s 26 eastern mole records come from GBIF rather than iNaturalist, which makes sense for an animal that spends almost its entire life underground and is nearly blind, sensing earthworms and grubs by touch rather than sight. Most people never see the mole itself, only the ridged tunnels and molehills it leaves behind in lawns and gardens.
NatureServe ranks it S5, secure, in Pennsylvania, and the state’s occasional showing among tracked mammals backs that up. Records peak in October and November, likely tied to fall soil moisture pushing worms and grubs closer to the surface where tunneling activity becomes more visible. Pymatuning, Presque Isle, and Delaware Water Gap post the most reports, all places with the kind of soft, worm-rich soil this species needs, though molehills anywhere in the state’s lawns and gardens are just as good a sign.
Full species profile
