Hout Bay is a valley town with a working harbour at one end and horse paddocks and leafy plots further up. Fishing boats, stables, a river and mountain on three sides make for a wider mix of pests than most Atlantic Seaboard suburbs.
The local picture in Hout Bay
American cockroaches come up through drains near the harbour, and German cockroaches live in restaurant kitchens. Scorpions and rain spiders are common in valley gardens.
Housing ranges from big family homes on large plots in the upper valley, to townhouse complexes, holiday homes near the beach and older cottages closer to the harbour. Many homes have thatched lapas, timber decks and outbuildings. Stables, workshops and harbour-side warehouses and fish processing buildings carry their own rodent and fly problems.
The valley is ringed by the Karbonkelberg, the Sentinel, Chapman's Peak and the back of Table Mountain, with the Disa River running down to the beach. Winter rain is heavy and the valley floor stays damp. The harbour, the river mouth and the paddocks all feed flies, gulls and rodents.
Rats around the harbour and along the river, flies near stables, and mosquitoes near the river and wetland areas are typical. Wasps, scorpions and spiders come with the mountain and garden setting. Cockroaches are more common in the harbour precinct and restaurants.
How to tell you have a problem
- Raised, soft ridges and tunnels in the lawn, especially after watering.
- Patches of grass that brown and die, and lift easily because the roots have been cut.
- Loud chirping at night that stops as soon as you walk towards it.
- Birds and hadedas probing the lawn intensively, which is often a sign of mole crickets or other insects underneath.
- Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
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.
From the technician
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.
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.
Our process, step by step
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
- Keep the garage and storeroom tidy and dry, since crickets love damp cardboard and clutter.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Field crickets are loudest and most noticeable in the warm months from late spring through summer. They often move indoors in autumn as the nights cool down and the first rains arrive. Mole cricket damage to lawns shows up most in spring and summer when they are active near the surface.
Cricket Control questions from Hout Bay
Do you come out to Hout Bay for cricket control?
Yes. Hout Bay is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Imizamo Yethu, Llandudno, Constantia, Camps Bay. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Is the lawn treatment safe for pets?
We use a targeted product and water it in. Keep pets off the treated area until it has dried, and we will give you specific guidance on the day.
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.
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.
Why are there so many flies in Hout Bay in summer?
The stables, paddocks and harbour all give flies breeding material, and warm summer weather speeds that up. Removing manure and fish waste quickly, plus fly control around the stables, makes a big difference.
Can you check a thatched lapa in Hout Bay for borer?
Yes. We inspect the thatch poles and timber for borer activity and can treat if needed, and we can include it in a beetle certificate inspection when you sell.
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