The home of a beaver, constructed from tree branches, mud and small stones, in the ponds created by their dams. Lodges appear to be small islands of chaotically piled branches but their construction is precise and deliberate, offering excellent protection and shelter throughout the year. The entrances to lodges are underwater, preventing access by most other species. In the winter beavers do not hibernate but stay close to their lodges, feeding from a stockpile of timber. A lodge can house family groups of 2-12 beavers. The human equivalent is called a crannog.
Etymology
Middle English log(g)e ‘small house’ ‘arbour’
Example locations
Knapdale
Argyll, Scotland