DALLAS — Felled trees. Gnawed tree stumps. Leftover wood chips. These are all signs that you’ve probably got a colony of busy beavers on your hand, particularly if you live near water.

And while these animals can be great for the ecosystem, they are a tree’s biggest nightmare.

“Beavers are phenomenal critters,” said Sam Kieschnick, urban wildlife biologist at Texas Parks and Wildlife. “They are just amazing … and they can be amazingly frustrating to some folks, especially if one of our prized trees ends up on the ground because of their little chiseled teeth.”

Here’s what you need to know about beavers.

Busy beavers

Ever heard the saying “busy as a beaver?” There’s a real meaning behind that.

Beavers work tirelessly to build their homes and dams, typically using a combination of tree

See Full Page