Athlone is busy, built-up and full of small businesses, so a lot of our work here is about stopping pests moving between homes, shops and takeaways that share the same blocks. The Black River and the old open land around the wastewater works on the Pinelands side give rodents and mosquitoes somewhere to breed just outside the residential streets.
The local picture in Athlone
German cockroaches dominate in kitchens of flats and corner shops, while the bigger American cockroaches live in sewer lines and come up through floor traps. Fishmoths turn up in older homes with damp built-in cupboards.
Most homes are older semi-detached and freestanding brick houses, plus council flats in places like Kewtown and Bridgetown. Many have been extended at the back over the years, and those join-ups between old and new roofs leave gaps that rats and mice use. In the flat blocks, German cockroaches travel along shared plumbing ducts, so treating one unit on its own rarely holds for long.
The ground is flat Cape Flats sand with a fairly high water table, so winter rain sits in low spots and stormwater drains run full. The Black River runs along the north-western edge before joining the Liesbeek near the Raapenberg wetland. The South-Easter blows hard through summer and pushes flies and litter into sheltered yards.
Worth knowing
Mole crickets are often blamed on lawn grubs or dry patches, and people keep watering a lawn that is actually being cut from below. The soap water test is a cheap way to find out.
Crickets sometimes damage stored clothing, curtains and cardboard in damp outbuildings. If you use a garage or storeroom for storage, dry it out and box things in plastic.
How to tell you have a problem
- Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
- Raised, soft ridges and tunnels in the lawn, especially after watering.
- Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
- Patches of grass that brown and die, and lift easily because the roots have been cut.
- Small chewed holes in clothing, curtains or paper stored in damp places.
How the treatment works
Indoors, we focus on finding where the crickets are coming in and hiding, then apply a residual treatment to entry points, door thresholds, garage edges and other hiding spots. Granular baits can be used around the perimeter of the house to reduce numbers before they reach the walls. For mole crickets, the lawn is treated with a targeted product and watered in so it reaches the tunnels, and timing matters because young mole crickets near the surface are easier to control. We use the least-toxic effective option and avoid spraying open living areas.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our cricket control service works.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Seal cracks in walls and around window frames, and check that airbricks have intact mesh.
- Keep the garage and storeroom tidy and dry, since crickets love damp cardboard and clutter.
- Swap bright white outside lights for yellow or warm-coloured bulbs, which attract fewer insects.
- Clear leaf litter, mulch, firewood and garden rubbish away from the walls of the house.
- Fit brush strips under exterior doors and garage doors so crickets cannot walk straight in.
How much will it cost?
The cost depends on whether it is an indoor nuisance, a lawn problem or both, and on the size of the property and garden. A large lawn with widespread mole cricket damage takes more product and time than a perimeter treatment for a house. Follow-up treatments, if needed to catch a second generation, are included in a free quote upfront.
One cricket behind the fridge is a job for a torch and a glass, not a pest control company. If crickets keep coming in night after night, or your lawn is lifting with tunnels, a professional perimeter or lawn treatment will save you a lot of frustration. Buying lawn insecticide and guessing the timing often wastes money.
Frequently asked questions
What is damaging my lawn with tunnels?
If you see raised ridges and spongy patches with dying grass, mole crickets are a likely cause. Flood a patch with soapy water and they often come to the surface, which confirms it.
Do you come out to Athlone for cricket control?
Yes. Athlone is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Crawford, Rondebosch East, Lansdowne, Langa. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Do crickets attract other pests?
Yes, large numbers of crickets can draw in spiders, geckos and sometimes scorpions, which feed on them. Reducing crickets often reduces those too.
Do the rats in Athlone come from the Black River?
Some do, especially in streets closest to the river and the open land around the treatment works. Most, though, are living in the sand along boundary walls and under outbuildings, so we bait and seal at the house as well as along the river side.
Why can I never find the chirping cricket?
Crickets stop chirping when they sense vibration or movement nearby, and the sound bounces off walls, which makes it hard to pinpoint. Turning off lights and moving slowly helps.
Why do cockroaches keep coming back in my Athlone flat?
In the council flat blocks, German cockroaches move through shared plumbing ducts and walls, so neighbouring units keep re-infesting each other. Treating the whole block, or at least the units on either side, gives a far longer result.
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