Strand is a beach town first, so a lot of our work follows the holiday calendar. Flats on Beach Road sit empty for months, then fill up over December, and pests that moved in quietly during the off-season suddenly become everyone's problem.
Crawling insects in Strand: what we see
German cockroaches breed in the kitchens and refuse rooms of the beachfront blocks, while the bigger American roaches come up from drains in summer. Black ants trail in from sandy gardens, and fishmoths love the closed-up cupboards of empty holiday flats.
Along the beachfront you get blocks of holiday and retirement flats, many with shared refuse rooms and long service ducts that let cockroaches travel between units. Further back from the sea the streets are older freestanding homes and townhouse complexes, plus a busy commercial strip with takeaways and small supermarkets. Lock-up-and-go flats are the tricky ones, because nobody notices droppings or a fishmoth problem until the owner arrives for the season.
German cockroaches in the flat blocks and around food outlets top the list, with rats and mice close behind wherever bins are left open. Gulls and pigeons are a constant nuisance on the beachfront buildings. In the older houses inland, ants and fishmoths keep us busy, and the odd wood borer job turns up when a property goes on the market.
Tell-tale signs
- Crickets sheltering in the garage, under appliances or behind skirting boards.
- Large numbers of crickets attracted to outside lights on warm nights.
- Raised, soft ridges and tunnels in the lawn, especially after watering.
- Patches of grass that brown and die, and lift easily because the roots have been cut.
- Loud chirping at night that stops as soon as you walk towards it.
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.
Crickets sometimes damage stored clothing, curtains and cardboard in damp outbuildings. If you use a garage or storeroom for storage, dry it out and box things in plastic.
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.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Water the lawn deeply but less often, as constantly damp soil suits mole crickets.
- Clear leaf litter, mulch, firewood and garden rubbish away from the walls of the house.
- 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.
- Fit brush strips under exterior doors and garage doors so crickets cannot walk straight in.
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 Strand
What is damaging my lawn with tunnels?
If you see raised ridges and spongy patches with dying grass, mole crickets are a likely cause. Flood a patch with soapy water and they often come to the surface, which confirms it.
Can you stop gulls from nesting on our block's roof near the beach?
Yes. Bird netting, spikes and wire systems on the roof edges and plant areas make the building far less attractive, and it is best installed before the nesting season starts.
Are crickets harmful?
No, crickets do not bite people or carry disease to any real extent. The problems are noise, minor damage to fabric and paper, and lawn damage from mole crickets.
Do you come out to Strand for cricket control?
Yes. Strand is part of our regular Helderberg route, along with Somerset West, Gordon's Bay, Macassar, Helderberg. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
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.
Why do I find cockroaches in my Strand holiday flat every time I come back?
Usually they are coming from neighbouring units or the shared refuse room, not starting in your flat. Treating your unit helps, but the best results come when the body corporate treats the ducts and bin areas at the same time.
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