Canadian beaver vs Common thrips

Castor canadensis compared with Aptinothrips rufus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Common thrips
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Thysanoptera (Thysanoptera)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Thripidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Aptinothrips
Species	Castor canadensis	Aptinothrips rufus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Common thrips

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Common thrips
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).

Common thrips

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

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.

Common thrips

<em>Aptinothrips rufus</em>, the common thrips, is a small insect in the order Thysanoptera, family Thripidae, recorded from five European countries including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, as well as the United States. It is Not Evaluated on the IUCN Red List. This species is primarily a grass-feeding thrips, found on grasses and grassland vegetation across temperate regions. The name "rufus" refers to the reddish-brown coloration of adults. Like other thrips, adults are minute insects, typically 1–2 millimeters long, with fringed wings adapted for flight and dispersal across grass habitats. Populations can be locally abundant in grasslands during warm summer months. <em>Aptinothrips rufus</em> feeds by piercing plant cells and extracting sap, primarily from grass blades and stems. It typically completes multiple generations per year under favorable conditions. The species has limited direct agricultural significance compared to some other thrips pests, but plays a role in grassland ecosystems. Biological traits such as precise body weight, longevity, and egg production figures remain poorly documented in standardized scientific assessments.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States