Cricket Control in Langa

Langa is the oldest township in Cape Town and one of the most densely lived-in, bordered by the N2, Vanguard Drive and the railway. When homes, hostels and informal structures sit close together, a pest problem rarely stays in one house, so we look at the whole block rather than a single room.

The local picture in Langa

German cockroaches thrive in warm kitchens and behind fridges in flats and hostels. Ants are a summer nuisance, and crickets come in from open ground.

You'll find old hostel blocks, council flats and family homes alongside newer formal housing and informal structures. Shared walls and roofs mean rats, cockroaches and bed bugs move easily from one unit to the next. Backyard rooms are common, and many households store food and goods in them, which draws rodents.

Rats are the main concern, helped by dense housing and waste that sometimes waits a while for collection. German cockroaches are common in shared kitchens and flats. Bed bugs and fleas show up regularly in crowded sleeping spaces.

Tell-tale signs

1. Raised, soft ridges and tunnels in the lawn, especially after watering.
2. Small chewed holes in clothing, curtains or paper stored in damp places.
3. Loud chirping at night that stops as soon as you walk towards it.
4. Birds and hadedas probing the lawn intensively, which is often a sign of mole crickets or other insects underneath.
5. Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
6. Patches of grass that brown and die, and lift easily because the roots have been cut.

Worth knowing

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.

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.

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.

Prevention that actually works

• Water the lawn deeply but less often, as constantly damp soil suits mole crickets.
• 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.
• Seal cracks in walls and around window frames, and check that airbricks have intact mesh.
• Clear leaf litter, mulch, firewood and garden rubbish away from the walls of the house.

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.

Cricket Control questions from Langa

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