Marina da Gama Cricket Control

Marina da Gama is built around a network of canals off Zandvlei, with houses that back right onto the water and little jetties at the end of the garden. Living on the water is lovely, but it also means midges, mosquitoes and rats are part of the conversation.

Crawling insects in Marina da Gama: what we see

Spiders build webs on decks, jetties and window frames by the water. Fishmoths like the damp in cupboards near the canals.

Most homes are free-standing houses and townhouses from the 1970s onwards, many with timber decks, boathouses and jetties on the canals. The decks and boathouses give rats and spiders plenty of hiding spots. Tightly spaced houses mean a rodent problem next door can quickly become yours.

The canals connect to Zandvlei, a large estuary with reed beds and wetlands that open to False Bay. Warm, still water in summer is perfect for midges and mosquitoes. The South-Easter blows hard across the vlei, and winter storms can push the water level up.

Worth knowing

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.

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.

How to tell you have a problem

1. Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
2. Raised, soft ridges and tunnels in the lawn, especially after watering.
3. Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
4. 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

• 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.
• 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.

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.

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 Marina da Gama

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