Camps Bay Cockroach Control

Camps Bay has the beach, the palms and the Twelve Apostles towering behind it, and plenty of homes that are let out to visitors for part of the year.

Cockroaches in Camps Bay villas and restaurants

German cockroaches are common in the commercial kitchens along Camps Bay's beachfront and spread into villas and holiday homes through deliveries and luggage. They breed fast in warm kitchens and can take over a house that stands empty for a few weeks. Cool, damp basements and storerooms suit the bigger American cockroaches.

We treat with gel baits and targeted dusts rather than open spraying, and we can work on changeover days so guest bookings aren't affected. For guest houses we can set up regular visits, timed around the season, with a written report after each treatment. That keeps a small problem from becoming a bad review in December.

The Twelve Apostles and the Glen at Kloof Nek border the suburb, so fynbos, pine plantations and Table Mountain National Park are right on the doorstep. The South-Easter blows hard through summer, but the suburb can be still and hot in the late afternoon.

Rats in basements and roof spaces top the list, followed by German cockroaches in restaurants and holiday homes.

A note from the field

In rented flats, cockroaches are often a building problem, not a tenant problem. Landlords and body corporates get far better results treating the whole building together.

A lot of people think cockroaches mean the house is dirty. German cockroaches very often arrive in delivery boxes or second-hand appliances, and a clean house just gives them fewer places to feed.

Signs to look for

Our process, step by step

Gel bait is the backbone of most cockroach treatments. It is placed in tiny spots inside hinges, cracks and appliance housings where cockroaches feed, and because they feed on each other's droppings, the bait passes through the population. We add an insect growth regulator for German cockroaches so the young cannot mature and breed. For American cockroaches, we treat floor drains, manholes and entry points with a residual product, and use dusts in wall voids and ceiling spaces. We avoid broad spraying of open surfaces because it is less effective and adds unnecessary chemicals to your home.

Keeping them out afterwards

• Seal gaps where pipes and cables pass through walls under sinks and behind appliances.
• Clean behind and under the stove and fridge every few months, since grease build-up there feeds a lot of cockroaches.
• Take rubbish out every evening and keep outside bins with tight lids away from doors.
• Never leave dirty dishes or pots in the sink overnight.
• Check cardboard boxes, second-hand appliances and furniture before bringing them indoors.

Pricing, honestly

Price depends largely on the species and how big the population is, with German cockroaches in a well-established kitchen taking more time and usually a follow-up visit. The size of the home or business, the number of units involved and the amount of equipment and cupboards to treat all affect the quote. Restaurants and food businesses often go onto a regular contract, which tends to work out better value than repeated once-off treatments, and the quote is free.

American cockroaches are most active in the hot summer months, when they come up from warm drains and sewers at night. German cockroaches breed all year round because they live indoors near stoves, fridges and geysers. Heavy winter rain can flood drains and push cockroaches into homes in large numbers.

Questions we get asked in Camps Bay

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