Mitchells Plain is one of the biggest suburbs in Cape Town, stretching from the Town Centre down to the False Bay coast at Strandfontein.
Fishmoths in Mitchells Plain homes
Fishmoths turn up in Mitchells Plain homes where cupboards and walls stay damp through the winter rain, and in Wendy houses and backyard rooms used for storage. They feed on school books, documents, photos and clothes, and leave small ragged holes and yellowish marks. Important papers kept in cardboard boxes are often the first things damaged.
We treat cupboards and storage areas with a dust or residual product and point out damp spots. Keeping papers in sealed plastic boxes and airing rooms on dry days helps keep them away.
Signs to look for
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Worth knowing
When a technician deals with fishmoths, the first place they look is up. The roof space is often where the main population lives, out of sight, especially with the grey silverfish common in Cape Town.
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.
What happens when we come out
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.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Store books, documents and photographs in sealed plastic boxes, not cardboard, especially in garages and storerooms.
- 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.
- Seal cracks around skirting boards, cornices and built-in cupboards where they hide and lay eggs.
- Fix leaks under basins, around geysers and in the roof, since fishmoths need moisture.
How much will it cost?
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 Mitchells Plain
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.
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 do fishmoths appear in winter in Mitchells Plain?
Damp cupboards suit them. Treating and drying out cupboards helps.
Are the midges in Mitchells Plain coming from the Strandfontein ponds?
Many of them are. The wastewater ponds and nearby vleis are big breeding areas, so homes closest to the coast notice them most on warm evenings.
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.
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.
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