Simon's Town is a historic naval town on False Bay, with steep streets climbing the mountain behind St George's Street. Old buildings, the sea air and the mountain on the doorstep make for a very particular set of pest problems.
Simon's Town: what drives crawling insects here
Fishmoths thrive in damp old cupboards and stored books, and spiders shelter in rockeries and retaining walls. Ants come in during dry spells.
There are old stone and brick buildings from the naval history, Victorian cottages, guesthouses along the main road and newer homes on the slopes above. Many buildings have timber floors, roofs and joinery that have weathered for a long time. Guesthouses and restaurants serve a steady stream of visitors. Steep sites mean retaining walls and rockeries, which give rodents and spiders plenty of places to hide.
The town sits between False Bay and the mountains of Table Mountain National Park, with Boulders and its penguin colony on the southern side. Winters are wet and windy, and the South-Easter blows hard in summer. The mountain edge brings rodents, baboons and insects, and the sea air keeps buildings damp.
Rats and mice from the mountain edge and harbour are the main issue. Fishmoths and wood borer show up in old, damp buildings. Bed bugs are a risk in guesthouses, and gulls and pigeons are constant along the waterfront.
How to tell you have a problem
- Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
- Loud chirping at night that stops as soon as you walk towards it.
- Birds and hadedas probing the lawn intensively, which is often a sign of mole crickets or other insects underneath.
- Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
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.
A note from the field
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.
What happens when we come out
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.
- Seal cracks in walls and around window frames, and check that airbricks have intact mesh.
- 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.
- 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.
Questions we get asked in Simon's Town
Do crickets attract other pests?
Yes, large numbers of crickets can draw in spiders, geckos and sometimes scorpions, which feed on them. Reducing crickets often reduces those too.
Do you come out to Simon's Town for cricket control?
Yes. Simon's Town is part of our regular South Peninsula route, along with Glencairn, Fish Hoek, Scarborough. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Can you treat old heritage buildings in Simon's Town without damaging them?
Yes, we choose methods that don't harm old timber, plaster or stonework, and we focus on proofing gaps carefully. We'll talk you through the plan before starting.
Do rats in Simon's Town come from the harbour or the mountain?
Both. Homes near the waterfront tend to get rats from the harbour, while houses higher up get them from the mountain slopes.
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.
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.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254