In Alberta and Saskatchewan, there are 7 species of mice and 12 species of voles. Mice can cause structural damage but can also contaminate your food. Food wasted by nibbling mice is significantly greater than the amount they eat. Mice eat up to 4 lbs of food in a 6-month period but waste 10 times the amount. Mice can be very destructive causing significant property damage by biting through different types of insulation in walls and attics. They also burrow in buildings which could cause structural failure and collapse and can even cause fires by gnawing on electrical wires.