Imizamo Yethu Cricket Control

Imizamo Yethu climbs the slope above the Hout Bay valley, with homes packed closely together on the hillside. Rats, cockroaches and flies are the everyday pests, and the steep ground makes stormwater and refuse a constant challenge.

Crawling insects around Imizamo Yethu

German cockroaches live in kitchens, shops and shebeens, and travel easily between structures. Ants and spiders come in from the slope above.

The area is a mix of informal structures built from zinc and timber, brick houses and some newer formal housing projects lower down. Homes are very close together, often sharing walls or sitting just a metre apart. Gaps in zinc and timber walls let rodents in easily, and they move quickly from one home to the next.

Signs to look for

1. Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
2. Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
3. Loud chirping at night that stops as soon as you walk towards it.
4. Small chewed holes in clothing, curtains or paper stored in damp places.
5. Patches of grass that brown and die, and lift easily because the roots have been cut.

A note from the field

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.

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 Imizamo Yethu

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

• Seal cracks in walls and around window frames, and check that airbricks have intact mesh.
• Fit brush strips under exterior doors and garage doors so crickets cannot walk straight in.
• 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.
• Water the lawn deeply but less often, as constantly damp soil suits mole crickets.

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.

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.

Questions we get asked in Imizamo Yethu

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