Oranjezicht climbs right up to the edge of Table Mountain, so a lot of what comes into homes here walks in off the mountain. Rats, squirrels, wasps and the odd scorpion are all part of living this close to the national park.
Oranjezicht: what drives crawling insects here
Fishmoths do well in damp older homes, and ants come in during hot summers. Scorpions and rain spiders appear in homes closest to the mountain.
Grand Victorian and Edwardian houses with wooden floors, pressed ceilings and old roof timbers sit beside modern glass-fronted homes and small apartment blocks. Many of the older homes have cellars, servant's quarters and large gardens with retaining walls. Apartment blocks add shared bin areas and ducts.
The suburb backs onto Table Mountain National Park, with mountain streams, the Molteno reservoir area and De Waal Park nearby. Winter rain runs off the mountain and keeps properties damp, while the South-Easter blows down hard in summer. Trees and greenbelts link gardens directly to the mountain.
Wood borer in old timber, fishmoths in damp rooms and wasps in summer are regular calls. Ants come indoors in the dry, windy months.
A note from the field
Fishmoths are often a sign of damp more than dirt. If you keep finding them in the same bathroom or cupboard, it is worth checking for a slow leak or poor ventilation.
Tell-tale signs
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
How the treatment works
Crawling insects walk through treated areas and carry baits back to their nests, which is exactly why baits and dusts work so well on them. We use gel baits in cracks and hinges for cockroaches and slow-acting ant baits that the workers take home to the queen. Insect growth regulators stop young cockroaches from maturing and breeding, which matters for German cockroaches that multiply fast. Residual sprays are applied as a barrier along entry points, door thresholds and drain areas rather than across open floors. Dusts go into wall voids, ceiling spaces and plug points where liquids should not be used.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our crawling insect control service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Seal gaps under exterior doors with a brush strip, because most crawling insects simply walk in.
- Move firewood, compost and piles of bricks away from the house walls.
- Check second-hand furniture, appliances and cardboard boxes before bringing them inside, as German cockroaches often move house this way.
- Put drain covers or mesh over floor drains and keep the water traps full, especially in guest bathrooms that are seldom used.
- Do not leave dishes in the sink overnight, since a wet sink is a feeding station for cockroaches.
What affects the price
Cost is driven by the species and how established the infestation is, with German cockroaches in a busy kitchen usually needing more work than a one-off ant trail. The size of the property, the number of units or rooms affected, and access to roof spaces and drains also matter. Where a follow-up treatment is needed to catch hatching insects, or where a business wants a regular service contract, we build that into a free quote upfront.
The first heavy rains in late autumn and winter push ants, cockroaches, crickets and millipedes indoors in large numbers. Summer heat brings American cockroaches out of drains and sends ants foraging hard for water. German cockroaches and fishmoths do not care much about the season because they live inside heated buildings all year.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a crawling insect?
Anything that mainly walks rather than flies: cockroaches, ants, fishmoths, crickets, earwigs, millipedes and scorpions. They hide in cracks and voids, which is why they are treated with baits, dusts and barriers.
Why do ants keep coming back after I spray them?
Spraying kills the foragers but leaves the queen and the nest untouched. Baits work better because the workers carry the product back and share it with the colony.
Do I need to empty my kitchen cupboards?
For a cockroach treatment, it helps to clear the cupboards under the sink and around the stove so the technician can reach the cracks. We will tell you exactly what to move when you book.
Will one treatment get rid of cockroaches?
For American cockroaches it often will. German cockroaches usually need a follow-up because their egg cases are protected and hatch after the first treatment.
Do you come out to Oranjezicht for crawling insect control?
Yes. Oranjezicht is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Gardens, Vredehoek, Tamboerskloof, Higgovale. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Can crawling insects come from my neighbour?
Yes, particularly in flats, townhouses and semi-detached homes that share walls, drains and roof spaces. Treating several units together gives much better results.
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