De Waterkant is tiny, steep and packed: painted cottages, cobbled lanes, restaurants and a lot of short-term rentals. Pest work here revolves around kitchens, guest turnover and the old drains under the streets.
The local picture in De Waterkant
German cockroaches are the headline problem in restaurants and the flats above them. Ants and fishmoths turn up in older cottages with thick plastered walls.
The core is a cluster of restored old cottages and terraced houses, many now guesthouses or holiday flats, alongside newer apartment blocks and the Cape Quarter shops. Shared walls and linked roof spaces let rodents and cockroaches travel from unit to unit without ever going outside. Conversions often leave hidden voids behind kitchen fittings. Restaurants on the ground floor with flats above are a common setup.
The suburb sits on the lower slope of Signal Hill, at the edge of the city centre and a short walk from the harbour. In summer the South-Easter funnels down the streets and packs litter into corners and gutters. Winter rain rushes down the slope into old stormwater lines, which is when rats move indoors.
German cockroaches in restaurant kitchens, rats in drains and ceilings and bed bugs in busy rentals are the big ones. Pigeons and gulls on rooftops and terraces round it out.
Something most people miss
A common myth is that crickets are a sign of a dirty home. They are mostly drawn in by light, warmth and damp, and a spotless house with a gap under the patio door can have just as many.
When a technician deals with a cricket complaint, the first thing they check is the outside lighting and the garage door seal. Fixing those two things often makes more difference than the treatment itself.
Tell-tale signs
- Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
- Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
- Birds and hadedas probing the lawn intensively, which is often a sign of mole crickets or other insects underneath.
- Patches of grass that brown and die, and lift easily because the roots have been cut.
Crickets do not bite people or spread disease in any meaningful way. Indoors, the main issues are lost sleep, droppings and small amounts of damage to fabrics, carpets and stored paper. Mole crickets are a bigger problem for property, because their tunnels cut grass roots and can damage lawns, sports fields and seedlings badly. Large numbers of crickets attracted to lights also draw in spiders and geckos, and sometimes scorpions.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Keep the garage and storeroom tidy and dry, since crickets love damp cardboard and clutter.
Pricing, honestly
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.
Cricket Control questions from De Waterkant
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 do cockroaches keep appearing in my flat above a restaurant?
German cockroaches move up service ducts and pipe gaps from busy kitchens. Treating your flat helps, but it works best when the restaurant below is treated at the same time.
Do you come out to De Waterkant for cricket control?
Yes. De Waterkant is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Green Point, Bo-Kaap, Foreshore, Malay Quarter. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Are crickets harmful?
No, crickets do not bite people or carry disease to any real extent. The problems are noise, minor damage to fabric and paper, and lawn damage from mole crickets.
Do bed bugs spread between units in De Waterkant's terraced houses?
They can, through shared walls, plug points and gaps around pipes. If one unit has them, we recommend inspecting the rooms on either side as well.
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.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254