Montague Gardens Cricket Control

Montague Gardens is mostly warehouses, showrooms and distribution yards, so the calls we get here are about stock, loading bays and compliance rather than bedrooms. A rat in a food warehouse is a bigger problem than a rat in a garage, because one gnawed pallet can mean a rejected consignment.

The local picture in Montague Gardens

German cockroaches turn up in staff canteens and kitchenettes, and American cockroaches come up through floor drains. Ants trail in along expansion joints in the concrete floors.

Big steel-framed sheds with roller doors, mezzanine offices and long racking aisles make up most of the area, with a few trade counters and factory shops mixed in. Roller doors that stand open all day are the main entry point for rodents and birds. Racking that goes up to the roof gives mice somewhere quiet to nest where nobody looks for months. Ceiling voids above the offices tend to be where the droppings turn up first.

The ground is flat and sandy, sitting between the Diep River and Rietvlei wetland side of Milnerton and the busy N7 and Montague Drive routes. The South-Easter blows dust and litter through the yards in summer, and winter rain pools in low corners of loading areas. Open stormwater channels and vacant plots nearby give rats easy cover between buildings.

Signs to look for

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

Something most people miss

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.

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.

Prevention that actually works

• Water the lawn deeply but less often, as constantly damp soil suits mole crickets.
• 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.
• Seal cracks in walls and around window frames, and check that airbricks have intact mesh.
• Keep the garage and storeroom tidy and dry, since crickets love damp cardboard and clutter.

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.

Frequently asked questions

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