Beavers are Dam Good for Biodiversity, Bringing Bats, Butterflies and Other Critters to Their Neighborhoods
Two new studies suggest that the semi-aquatic rodents provide food and habitat for bats and pollinator insects within their engineered ecosystems
Sarah Kuta - Daily Correspondent
November 20, 2025
Two new studies explored the impact beavers have on bats and pollinator insects. Christof Angst
Beavers are famous for being ecosystem engineers, capable of transforming once-dry landscapes into lush, green wetlands that support many other land- and water-dwelling species. Now, two new studies suggest these benefits also extend to creatures who spend much of their time in the air.
The first, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology in September, finds that beaver-engineered ecosystems are a boon to bats, which seem to be drawn to these habitats by the abundance of roosting sites and tasty insects. The second, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology on November 12, explains how beaver-created wetlands lure pollinators like hoverflies and butterflies.
Both bats and pollinator insects face significant threats to their survival, including habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, pollution and disease. Together, the new findings suggest efforts to support and protect beavers might, in turn, help these vulnerable species, too.
Research suggests that beavers help protect against wildfires, improve water quality, store carbon, mitigate flooding and lessen the effects of drought.
For the bat study, researchers visited a stream in Switzerland and identified eight areas with and without Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). Then, they set up special audio recorders capable of capturing bat echolocation calls and recorded sounds at each site 16 times throughout the summer in 2022.
More:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beavers-are-dam-good-for-biodiversity-bringing-bats-butterflies-and-other-critters-to-their-neighborhoods-180987717/