Table View is big, busy and windy, with the famous postcard view of Table Mountain across the bay. Between the beachfront, the Rietvlei wetland and the shopping strips along Blaauwberg Road, we see a bit of everything here.
Fishmoths in Table View garages
Fishmoths in Table View are mostly found in garages, storerooms and wendy houses full of cardboard boxes, and in built-in cupboards in older face-brick homes. Coastal humidity keeps stored paper damp, and they feed on books, documents, photos and clothes stored for a long time.
We treat storage areas, cupboards and cracks with a residual product and dust, and recommend moving stored papers into sealed plastic boxes. Airing garages on dry days helps keep the humidity down.
The South-Easter blasts across the flats in summer, carrying sand and grit into garages and sliding door tracks.
Tell-tale signs
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
From the technician
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.
How we handle fishmoth control in Table View
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
- 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.
- Avoid stacking old newspapers, magazines and cardboard boxes in cupboards for long periods.
- 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.
Pricing, honestly
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.
Moving books into sealed boxes and running a dehumidifier will help more than any spray from the shop. DIY sprays rarely reach the roof space or wall voids where the main population lives. If you are seeing them in several rooms or dropping from the ceiling, get the roof space treated professionally.
Questions we get asked in Table View
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.
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.
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.
Why are there fishmoths in my Table View garage boxes?
Cardboard and stored paper feed them, and coastal humidity keeps it damp. Plastic tubs and treatment stop them.
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.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
