Crawford is a settled suburb where many families have lived in the same house for decades, adding rooms as the family grew. The work here is steady household stuff: rats in the roof, cockroaches in the kitchen and ants once summer arrives.
Crawling insects around Crawford
German cockroaches hide in kitchen appliances and cupboard hinges, while American cockroaches come out of the drains at night in summer. Ants and fishmoths are the other regulars.
You'll find solid freestanding houses and semis on modest plots, often with outside rooms, garages and flat-roofed additions built on over the years. Where an old roof meets a newer extension there is very often a gap, and rodents find it quickly. Houses sit close together, so a problem next door can be yours within a week. Corner shops and takeaways along the busier roads around Kromboom Road add food businesses to the mix.
This is flat, sandy Cape Flats ground that drains quickly and lets ants tunnel with ease. In winter, rain pools in low spots and stormwater drains back up, while the South-Easter spends summer blowing litter into corners. Sports fields and open spaces nearby give rodents room to move between properties.
Rats are the main call, roof rats in ceilings and Norway rats under outside rooms. German cockroaches follow kitchens, and big American cockroaches come up from drains in the warmer months. Ants in the sandy gardens are constant from spring to autumn.
What gives them away
- Birds and hadedas probing the lawn intensively, which is often a sign of mole crickets or other insects underneath.
- Loud chirping at night that stops as soon as you walk towards it.
- Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
- Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
- Small chewed holes in clothing, curtains or paper stored in damp places.
- Patches of grass that brown and die, and lift easily because the roots have been cut.
Worth knowing
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.
Crickets are not dangerous to children or pets, so there is no need to panic or use strong products indoors. A perimeter treatment keeps the products outside, away from living areas.
How we handle cricket control in Crawford
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.
Prevention that actually works
- Swap bright white outside lights for yellow or warm-coloured bulbs, which attract fewer insects.
- Keep the garage and storeroom tidy and dry, since crickets love damp cardboard and clutter.
- Fit brush strips under exterior doors and garage doors so crickets cannot walk straight in.
- Clear leaf litter, mulch, firewood and garden rubbish away from the walls of the house.
- Seal cracks in walls and around window frames, and check that airbricks have intact mesh.
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
Will a treatment stop crickets coming indoors?
A perimeter treatment greatly reduces how many get in, especially combined with door seals and changes to outside lighting.
Are the big cockroaches in my bathroom coming from the drains?
Most likely, yes. Those are American cockroaches that live in sewer lines and come up through floor traps and loose drain covers, so we treat the drains and you can keep plugs in overnight.
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.
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 rats keep coming back to my Crawford roof after baiting?
Usually the entry point is still open and the neighbours still have activity. We bait, find the gaps and advise on sealing them, so new rats don't simply move into the space.
Do you come out to Crawford for cricket control?
Yes. Crawford is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Athlone, Rondebosch East, Lansdowne, Rondebosch. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254