Obs is a neighbourhood of narrow streets, terraced cottages and a Lower Main Road lined with restaurants and bars. Put two rivers, a hospital precinct and a lot of shared housing together and you get a steady diet of rat, cockroach and bed bug work.
Crawling insects in Observatory: what we see
German cockroaches spread through the party walls of terraced cottages, so one house treated alone rarely stays clear. Fishmoths and ants are common in the older homes.
Rows of little Victorian cottages share walls, roof spaces and sometimes back lanes, so pests move from house to house without ever going outside. Plenty have been split into digs for students and hospital staff. Restaurants and bars on Lower Main Road have cellars, back kitchens and bins in tight yards. Old suspended floors, cracked air bricks and lean-to kitchens added later are typical weak spots.
Rats are constant, particularly toward the river side and behind the Lower Main Road kitchens. German cockroaches move through shared kitchens and terraces. Bed bugs and fleas travel with tenants, and mosquitoes come off the rivers in late summer.
Tell-tale signs
- Birds and hadedas probing the lawn intensively, which is often a sign of mole crickets or other insects underneath.
- Small chewed holes in clothing, curtains or paper stored in damp places.
- Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
- 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.
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.
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 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
- Swap bright white outside lights for yellow or warm-coloured bulbs, which attract fewer insects.
- Fit brush strips under exterior doors and garage doors so crickets cannot walk straight in.
- Water the lawn deeply but less often, as constantly damp soil suits mole crickets.
- 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.
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.
One cricket behind the fridge is a job for a torch and a glass, not a pest control company. If crickets keep coming in night after night, or your lawn is lifting with tunnels, a professional perimeter or lawn treatment will save you a lot of frustration. Buying lawn insecticide and guessing the timing often wastes money.
Questions we get asked in Observatory
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.
Do you come out to Observatory for cricket control?
Yes. Observatory is part of our regular Southern Suburbs route, along with Mowbray, Salt River, Woodstock, Pinelands. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Do Observatory rats come from the Black River and Liesbeek?
A lot of them do. The banks give them burrowing ground and water, and the old drain network links the river to homes, so blocking air bricks and drain gaps matters here.
Can you treat a whole row of cottages in Obs at once?
Yes, and we recommend it when cockroaches or rats are moving through shared walls. Coordinated treatment stops them simply shifting next door.
Why can I never find the chirping cricket?
Crickets stop chirping when they sense vibration or movement nearby, and the sound bounces off walls, which makes it hard to pinpoint. Turning off lights and moving slowly helps.
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.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
