Beavers use the trees they cut down for food, and they use the left over branches for building materials for their dams and lodges. In cold weather climates beavers are most active cutting down trees in the fall because they are preparing for the winter.

Why do beavers chew big trees?

Beavers fell large trees to gain access to the branches at the top. They do this by chewing the tree's trunk uniformly all around the base, devoting one or more nights to the task. The until gravity takes over and it topples. It may seem like a lot of work to gnaw through the trunk of a tree two feet in diameter.

Do beavers eat the trees they cut down?

Beavers, in fact, eat with their mouths closed behind the incisors. Beavers do not eat wood! In fact, they cut trees to form dams and lodges but eat the tree bark or the softer layers of wood underneath.