The City Bowl is the CBD and the older residential suburbs packed into the bowl formed by Table Mountain, Devil's Peak, Lion's Head and Signal Hill. Pest work here is a mix of restaurant and office contracts in town and older homes and flats up the slopes, with rats tying the two together.
Fishmoth Control by suburb
We cover all 26 suburbs on our City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route. Each suburb page covers what we find there and what works for those streets and buildings.
- Bantry BayFishmoth Control
- Bo-KaapFishmoth Control
- Camps BayFishmoth Control
- CliftonFishmoth Control
- De WaterkantFishmoth Control
- ForeshoreFishmoth Control
- FresnayeFishmoth Control
- GardensFishmoth Control
- Green PointFishmoth Control
- HiggovaleFishmoth Control
- Hout BayFishmoth Control
- Imizamo YethuFishmoth Control
- LlandudnoFishmoth Control
- Malay QuarterFishmoth Control
- Mouille PointFishmoth Control
- OranjezichtFishmoth Control
- Schotsche KloofFishmoth Control
- Sea PointFishmoth Control
- TamboerskloofFishmoth Control
- Three Anchor BayFishmoth Control
- University EstateFishmoth Control
- Upper WoodstockFishmoth Control
- VredehoekFishmoth Control
- Walmer EstateFishmoth Control
- WoodstockFishmoth Control
- ZonnebloemFishmoth Control
Crawling insects in City Bowl: what we see
German cockroaches are the staple of restaurant and hotel kitchens, and they move between flats along shared risers. American cockroaches emerge from old floor drains at night, and fishmoths chew wallpaper and books in damp Victorian rooms.
In the CBD you have office towers, heritage buildings, hotels and hundreds of restaurants and cafés. Up the slopes are Victorian and Edwardian semis with wooden floors and corrugated iron roofs, along with newer apartment blocks. Old buildings have gaps, voids and old drains that rodents and cockroaches use, while flats share ducts and refuse rooms.
The mountain rises right behind the suburbs, with the Company's Garden and the slopes of Table Mountain National Park providing green corridors. Winter rain runs hard down the slopes, and the South-Easter brings the famous tablecloth and blows litter around the streets. The heat traps in the bowl on still summer days.
Rats are the big one, living in old drains, restaurant lanes and the Company's Garden. German cockroaches are common in restaurants and flats. Pigeons on buildings and bed bugs in hotels and rentals round out the main issues.
Tell-tale signs
- Fishmoths drop from the ceiling or come out of light fittings and cornices, a sign they are living in the roof space.
- Yellowish stains or tiny pepper-like droppings are left on paper and shelves.
- Wallpaper is lifting or damaged along the edges where the glue has been eaten.
- Shed scales and skins collect in drawers, cupboards and bathroom corners.
- Irregular grazed patches or small holes appear on book covers, wallpaper or photographs.
A note from the field
A frequent mistake is spraying the cupboard and leaving everything else as it was. If the cardboard boxes and damp corners stay, the fishmoths will be back within a few months.
How we handle fishmoth control in City Bowl
Fishmoths often live in roof spaces, wall voids and behind cornices, so a fine insecticidal dust blown into the ceiling void is one of our most effective tools. Inside, we apply a targeted residual treatment into cracks, cupboard corners, skirting gaps and behind bookshelves rather than spraying open surfaces. Fishmoths are long-lived and lay eggs in hidden cracks, so treatments that keep working for a while are more useful than a quick knockdown. We pair the treatment with advice on damp, ventilation and storage, because changing the conditions is what stops them coming back.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our fishmoth control service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Store books, documents and photographs in sealed plastic boxes, not cardboard, especially in garages and storerooms.
- Improve ventilation in bathrooms and laundries with an extractor fan or by keeping a window open after showers.
- Fix leaks under basins, around geysers and in the roof, since fishmoths need moisture.
- Vacuum regularly inside cupboards, along skirting boards and behind furniture to remove eggs and food sources.
- Seal cracks around skirting boards, cornices and built-in cupboards where they hide and lay eggs.
What affects the price
The price depends on the size of the property, how many rooms and cupboards are affected, and whether the roof space needs to be treated. Easy access to the ceiling void keeps the job simpler, while a home with lots of built-in cupboards and shelves takes more time. Offices, archives and storerooms with large amounts of paper are quoted separately, and every quote is free.
Fishmoths are active all year because they live indoors, but Cape Town's damp winters make them more noticeable as moisture rises in roofs, walls and cupboards. Grey silverfish in the roof space may become more visible in summer when the ceiling heats up and pushes them down into the rooms below.
Frequently asked questions
Why are fishmoths falling from my ceiling?
That usually means there is a population in the roof space. Treating the ceiling void with a dust is the most effective way to deal with it.
Why does my Gardens or Vredehoek flat keep getting cockroaches?
Usually because German cockroaches are moving in from neighbouring flats through shared plumbing risers and electrical ducts. Treating the units around yours at the same time, and sealing gaps around pipes under the sink, gives a far longer result.
Do fishmoths mean I have damp?
Often, yes. Common silverfish in particular need high humidity, so seeing them regularly in one room is a good reason to check for leaks or poor ventilation.
Do you come out to City Bowl for fishmoth control?
Yes. City Bowl is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Gardens, Tamboerskloof, Oranjezicht, Vredehoek. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Do fishmoths bite?
No, they do not bite people or pets and do not carry disease. The problem is the damage they do to paper, books, photographs and fabrics.
Do the rats in the City Bowl come from the Company's Garden?
The garden does carry a lot of rats, but homes and businesses further away are usually dealing with rats from old drains and restaurant lanes. We find where they are actually living, then bait outside and seal the gaps they use to get in.
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