Beavers mate in the months of January and February. They have one to eight offspring that stay in the home range for about two years. After this period, they disperse to seek out new home ranges of their own. Adult beavers can easily reach four feet in length and over 60 lbs. in weight. Beavers have a unique anatomy adapted for life in the water. They have flaps of skin in the ears and nose to keep water from entering. They also have a unique flap of skin behind the front teeth that keeps water out of the throat while chewing under water. They have a special respiratory system that allows them to remain under water for over twenty minutes.

These industrious rodents cause obvious damage to man-made waterways, valuable timber and ornamental’s. They can compromise the integrity of contained water systems, resulting in undesirable flooding. In some settings, they can dig into man-made dams leading to erosion of the dam and possible draining of the pond or lake. If left undisturbed, beavers will change entire ecosystems to suit their desired habitat.

Control Methods: Trapping the beavers currently causing the damage is the best method of control by far. You can use fencing to exclude certain areas. Wrapping the trunk of targeted trees with hardware cloth or metal will help deter beavers from chewing on them. You need the wrap to be as close to the ground as possible, and about three to four feet high.