Flea Control for Lakeside homes and businesses

Lakeside is squeezed between the mountain and Zandvlei, with Boyes Drive above and the railway line and Main Road running through the middle. Having both a mountain slope and a big vlei on your doorstep means you get pests from two very different directions.

Biting insects around Lakeside

Mosquito bites are the most common complaint here, especially for homes with a view of the water. Fleas from pets pick up after a warm, damp spell.

Zandvlei and the wetland around it are a breeding ground for midges and mosquitoes when the water warms up. Up the other side, Boyes Drive and the Silvermine section of Table Mountain National Park bring fynbos, rocks and the odd scorpion right to people's back walls. The South-Easter blows hard here in summer, and the winter rain soaks the lower roads near the vlei.

Homes range from older cottages and family houses on the slopes to townhouses and small complexes nearer the vlei. A lot of the older houses have suspended timber floors and big trees in the garden, which gives rodents and borer something to work with. Garden flats and outside rooms are common and are usually the first place a pest problem gets noticed.

Signs to look for

1. Pets scratching, biting at their back or losing fur near the base of the tail.
2. Bites appearing in a house that has been empty for a while, or just after moving in.
3. Pale specks and debris in the corners of the dog basket or along the edges of rugs.
4. Tiny dark insects jumping onto white socks when you walk across the carpet.
5. Itchy bites in small clusters around the ankles and lower legs.

From the technician

Landlords should insist on a flea treatment between tenants where pets have been living in the property. It costs far less than dealing with a complaint from the next tenant in the first week.

Our process, step by step

A proper flea job hits every life stage, not just the adults. We use an insect growth regulator, which stops eggs and larvae developing into breeding adults, together with a residual insecticide on carpets, floors, under furniture and around pet resting places, both inside and in sheltered outdoor spots. Before we arrive, you vacuum thoroughly, wash pet bedding hot and lift items off the floor so the product reaches where the larvae live. The pets must be treated by your vet on the same day or just before, otherwise new fleas keep arriving. Because pupae are protected in their cocoons, we often book a follow-up treatment a couple of weeks later to catch the late hatchers.

Want the full step-by-step? See how our flea control service works.

Prevention that actually works

• Wash pet bedding on a hot cycle every week or two and vacuum the areas where pets sleep.
• Discourage stray cats from sleeping under the house, on the stoep or in the garage.
• Deal with rats or mice in the roof promptly, as their fleas can drop into the house.
• Keep the grass short and rake away leaf litter in shaded spots where the dog lies outside.
• Before moving into a rental or newly bought home, ask whether the previous occupants had pets, and consider a treatment before the furniture goes in.

What affects the price

The main factors are the size of the house, how much carpet and soft furnishing there is, and whether outdoor areas need treating as well. A heavy infestation in a multi-pet home will usually need a follow-up visit, which we include in the quote. Preparation on your side makes a big difference to how well a single treatment works, and we give a free quote upfront.

Fleas breed fastest in warm, humid weather, so numbers rise from about October and peak through the hot Cape Town summer. Indoors they keep going all year because houses rarely get cold enough to stop them. We also see a spike in autumn when people return from holidays and the vibration of activity wakes up dormant pupae.

Frequently asked questions

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