Both Grande Prairie residents and pest control companies are seeing an uptick in vole-related issues.
Local resident Kenton Dueck has lived at his house in Grande Prairie for nearly 11 years. He says that in the past he has had vole issues before, but not quite to this level.
Dueck says that he started to notice a bit of the damage the rodents created in late winter when the snow started to melt, and prepared himself for what was to come.
“We could see some tunnels actually in the snowbanks, before we could see the grass. We knew what was coming and as the snow disappeared this is what was revealed.”
Most of the damage took place on his front lawn that he shares with a neighbor, but also had some residue in his backyard as well.
“It looks like they had quite the party under there.”
When talking to other people in his neighbourhood, he says many people have been left with the same situation, but not quite to the same level as his.
“It’s definitely a nuisance problem and we know we aren’t alone, a lot of other people have been hit with this.”
According to the Owner of Grande Prairie Green Piper Pest Control, Dan Student, Dueck’s neighbourhood is not alone with this issue.
Student says that 2026 has brought a pile of vole-related calls once the snow melted.
“We’ve been getting a cluster of calls this year.”
Student believes the uptick in vole calls is because of a natural cycle of life for the animals, or because of the recent winter the city and the region just experienced.
“Because we had good snowfall what will happen is the voles will have good places to hide under the grass or places they are protected.”
“Anywhere between two and five years there is going to be an influx of voles and mice.”
Student explains that the rodents just don’t magically appear, and that they have to be coming from somewhere. Student added that voles may be appearing because they find your yard attractive, and that there is only so much a pest controller can do once the voles have arrived.
“There is only so much that we can do or any pest controller can do.”
“A lot of what you’re doing is actually trying to prevent them from getting into your yard.”
Student says that voles will find hiding spots in appealing areas such as low bushes, piles of wood, or tall grass.
According to Student, even having a low deck that dogs or cats can’t get at may also attract the rodents.
Even if your yard is cleaned up and maintained, if someone next door or nearby has some of the appealing hiding spots, it may effect your yard too, Student says.
If the voles are sticking around, Student suggests filling the holes they have created, or calling a pest controller to have their borough removed. Student mentioned that if you do plan on using poison with the goal to remove the voles yourself, to follow the instructions provided to help prevent pets from possibly being harmed.
Student says he is uncertain if you should expect to see this amount of voles again next year.
For Dueck, he says he hopes this is all just history by the summer.
“Hopefully by June this is just a memory.”
