Mole , common name for certain small, burrowing mammals characterized by a pointed snout; rudimentary eyes; soft, thick, velvety fur; short legs; broad feet; and long, powerful claws on the front pair of legs. Moles are indigenous to Europe, Asia, and North America. The voracious animals dig below the surface of the ground for their food, which consists principally of earthworms and insect larvae. They are capable of digging rapidly, using their powerful forefeet and claws to push the earth back behind them. Close to the surface of the ground, moles construct their elaborate burrows with many chambers; their burrowing often produces ridges on the surface. Of the 12 genera of moles, 5 are found in the United States. The typical mole of the eastern United States is the eastern, or garden, mole, which is 12 to 21 cm (5 to 8 in) long, of which 2 to 4 cm (.8 to 1.6 in) is naked tail. The western mole is the largest American species and may attain a length of more than 24 cm (more than 9.4 in). The hairy-tailed mole has crescent-shaped nostrils. The star-nosed mole has on its snout a star-shaped projection composed of 22 rays that are used to sense its environment; there is some evidence that the rays can detect the low-level electrical fields of earthworms in the mole's wet habitat. The animal is an excellent swimmer. The shrew mole is the smallest of the American moles. It measures 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in) in length, of which 3 to 4 cm (1 to 1.6 in) is tail .