Bonteheuwel Cricket Control

Bonteheuwel is a close-knit, densely built suburb boxed in by the railway line, the Epping industrial area and busy roads. Pest problems here mostly come down to shared walls, backyard rooms and drains that struggle in winter.

Crawling insects in Bonteheuwel: what we see

German cockroaches are everywhere in the flat blocks, travelling along pipes from one kitchen to the next. American cockroaches come up through drains when the system backs up after rain.

Rows of semi-detached council houses and three-storey flat blocks make up most of Bonteheuwel, and many families have added Wendy houses or brick rooms at the back. Every shared wall and joined roof is a route for mice and German cockroaches, so one neighbour's problem soon becomes the next one's. The flats have communal stairwells and refuse points where rats feed at night.

Worth knowing

Reducing crickets on a property can also reduce spiders and scorpions, which come in to hunt them. It is one of those cases where solving one small problem helps with another.

Tell-tale signs

1. Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
2. Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
3. Loud chirping at night that stops as soon as you walk towards it.
4. Raised, soft ridges and tunnels in the lawn, especially after watering.
5. Birds and hadedas probing the lawn intensively, which is often a sign of mole crickets or other insects underneath.

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.

1. Identify the cricket

   Field crickets, house crickets and mole crickets behave differently and need different treatments.

2. Locate entry and shelter

   We look at door gaps, garage doors, airbricks and cluttered areas where crickets hide during the day.

3. Treat the perimeter

   A residual barrier and, where useful, granular bait go around the outside of the house and entry points.

4. Treat the lawn

   For mole crickets, the affected areas of lawn are treated and watered in so the product reaches the tunnels.

5. Report and advice

   You get a post-treatment report with tips on lighting, sealing and garden habits that reduce numbers.

Keeping them out afterwards

• Clear leaf litter, mulch, firewood and garden rubbish away from the walls of the house.
• Water the lawn deeply but less often, as constantly damp soil suits mole crickets.
• Swap bright white outside lights for yellow or warm-coloured bulbs, which attract fewer insects.
• Fit brush strips under exterior doors and garage doors so crickets cannot walk straight in.
• Keep the garage and storeroom tidy and dry, since crickets love damp cardboard and clutter.

What affects the price

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.

Questions we get asked in Bonteheuwel

Cricket Control nearby and related