Canadian beaver vs clouded drab

Castor canadensis compared with Orthosia incerta

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while clouded drab is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	clouded drab
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Noctuidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Orthosia
Species	Castor canadensis	Orthosia incerta

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and clouded drab share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

clouded drab

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	clouded drab
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	1.0 m	—
Average Weight	25.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

clouded drab

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Canadian beaver

The largest rodent in North America, Canadian beavers weigh up to 32 kg and are master ecosystem engineers inhabiting rivers, lakes, and wetlands across Canada and the northern United States. By felling trees and constructing dams up to hundreds of meters long, beavers create ponds that provide habitat for hundreds of species. Their lodges and canals transform entire watersheds. Once nearly hunted to extinction for their fur, beaver populations have recovered strongly.

clouded drab

The clouded drab (Orthosia incerta) is a noctuid moth in the family Noctuidae and one of the characteristic early-spring moths of temperate Europe and western Asia, flying from February to April when most other moth species are inactive. The adult wingspan measures approximately 35–42 mm with variable forewings ranging from pale greyish-buff through warm reddish-brown to dark grey-brown, bearing subtle cross-lines, stigmata, and the clouded, diffuse shading that gives the species its common name. The variability of the clouded drab has historically created confusion with related Orthosia species. Adults emerge early in the year, taking nectar from sallow catkins and other early-spring flowers. Larvae feed on the foliage of deciduous trees and shrubs including oak, hawthorn, birch, and hazel in woodland, scrub, and hedgerow habitats. The clouded drab is one of the more numerous and widespread spring moths in Britain and northern Europe, routinely recorded at light traps and regarded as an indicator of woodland health. The early flight season makes it an important pollinator of early-flowering trees and shrubs in temperate woodland systems.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden