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.
Strand: what drives crawling insects here
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.
The South-Easter blows hard across False Bay here in summer, pushing sand and debris into every gap under doors and garage roller shutters. Winter rain is lighter than on the Peninsula but the Lourens River mouth and the low-lying ground near it stay damp. Salt air also rusts mesh and vent covers faster than people expect, which opens new entry points.
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.
Worth knowing
Landlords with older rental properties often get fishmoth complaints from tenants. A roof void treatment and better ventilation in the bathroom usually solves it for the long term.
How to tell you have a problem
- Yellowish stains or tiny pepper-like droppings are left on paper and shelves.
- Clothing, curtains or linen made from cotton, linen or silk have small holes or thinned patches.
- Fishmoths drop from the ceiling or come out of light fittings and cornices, a sign they are living in the roof space.
- Irregular grazed patches or small holes appear on book covers, wallpaper or photographs.
- Silvery, fast-moving insects are seen when you lift boxes, books or linen.
- Shed scales and skins collect in drawers, cupboards and bathroom corners.
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.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our fishmoth control service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Seal cracks around skirting boards, cornices and built-in cupboards where they hide and lay eggs.
- 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.
- Store books, documents and photographs in sealed plastic boxes, not cardboard, especially in garages and storerooms.
- Vacuum regularly inside cupboards, along skirting boards and behind furniture to remove eggs and food sources.
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 Strand
Do you come out to Strand for fishmoth 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.
How long does a fishmoth treatment last?
Our treatments carry a minimum 3-month guarantee. Fixing damp and changing storage habits makes the result last much longer.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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