Gugulethu is busy, close-knit and built tight, so a pest problem in one home rarely stays there for long.
Fishmoths in damp Gugulethu homes
Silvery fishmoths come out at night in Gugulethu homes where winter damp gets into cupboards and the corners of rooms, and backyard rooms with leaking roofs are often the worst. They chew paper, card, book covers, photos and cotton clothes, and church halls and crèches with stored books and papers see them too. Boxes of old clothes or papers kept on the floor are a common hiding place.
We dust and treat cupboards, cracks and storage spots, and show you where damp is getting in. Lifting boxes off the floor, swapping cardboard for plastic tubs with lids, and letting air through on dry days keeps them from coming back.
A note from the field
Fishmoths can live for several years and can survive months without food. That is why a single wipe-down does not work and why treatments that keep working in cracks are so useful.
Signs to look for
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
How the treatment works
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.
- Confirm and identify
We confirm it is fishmoths and not booklice or another small insect, which need different handling.
- Find where they live
The technician checks the roof space, cupboards, bookshelves, bathrooms and stored boxes for the main population.
- Check for damp
We look for leaks, poor ventilation and damp walls, because fishmoths follow moisture.
- Treat voids and cracks
Dust goes into the roof space and voids, and residual products into cracks, skirtings and cupboard corners.
- Report and remedial advice
You get a post-treatment report covering what we treated and what to change in storage and ventilation.
Prevention that actually works
- Avoid stacking old newspapers, magazines and cardboard boxes in cupboards for long periods.
- 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.
- Store books, documents and photographs in sealed plastic boxes, not cardboard, especially in garages and storerooms.
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.
Questions we get asked in Gugulethu
Can fishmoths damage clothes?
They can graze cotton, linen, silk and starched fabrics, particularly items stored for long periods in damp cupboards. They are less of a problem on synthetics.
Are fishmoths and silverfish the same thing?
Yes. Fishmoth is the common South African name for silverfish, and it covers a few related species, including the grey silverfish common in Cape Town.
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.
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 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.
What is eating holes in my children's school books?
Often fishmoths, which like damp cupboards. Treatment and sealed storage protect books and papers.
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