St James is a narrow strip of grand old houses squeezed between the mountain and False Bay, best known for its colourful bathing boxes and tidal pool. With the mountain right behind and the sea in front, homes deal with damp, wind and wildlife all year.
Flying insects around St James
Clothes moths damage wool rugs and blankets in older homes, and wasps nest under verandas.
The suburb sits at the foot of the mountain in Table Mountain National Park, with the Main Road and railway line running along the coast. Sea spray, damp winters and the South-Easter in summer all play a part. Wildlife from the mountain, including baboons and rodents, comes right down to the gardens.
Many homes are large Edwardian and Victorian houses on steep plots, with timber floors, wooden verandas and big roof spaces. There are also flats and newer homes higher up the slope. Steep sites, terraced gardens and stone retaining walls give rodents and spiders lots of hiding places. Old timber and damp sea air create ideal conditions for fishmoths and wood borer.
Tell-tale signs
- You hear whining at night and wake up with fresh bites on exposed arms and ankles.
- Small flies hover over the fruit bowl, the recycling bin or the drip tray under a bar tap.
- Tiny moth-like flies sit on bathroom walls near the shower or basin drain.
- A sudden swarm of large blowflies appears indoors, which often points to something dead in the roof or wall.
- Small moths flutter out of the pantry or out of a cupboard full of woollens.
- Flies keep gathering around the same window, light or rubbish area even after you have cleaned and sprayed.
A note from the field
A common myth is that flies come in from outside and that is the end of the story. In a lot of homes the flies are actually breeding indoors, in a drain, a forgotten bag of potatoes or the bottom of a bin.
Our process, step by step
We start by identifying the insect properly, because a drain fly needs a completely different fix from a house fly or a mosquito. Breeding sites come first: drains are cleaned out and treated with a larvicide or bio-enzyme product, standing water is tipped or treated, and waste areas are sorted out. Only then do we use residual sprays on resting surfaces such as window frames and wall tops, fly bait stations away from food, and ULV fogging where a large space needs a quick knockdown. In commercial kitchens and food stores we install insect light traps with glue boards so there is constant monitoring between visits. Wasp nests are treated with a dust or spray directly into the nest and removed once the colony is dead.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our flying insect control service works.
Prevention that actually works
- Keep wheelie bins closed, rinse them out in summer, and park them away from the kitchen door.
- Pour boiling water down slow drains weekly and scrub the inside of the drain pipe with a brush, since that slime is where drain flies breed.
- Fit fly screens on kitchen windows and keep a self-closing door or strip curtain on back doors that open onto bins.
- Store flour, cereal and pet food in sealed containers so pantry moths have nothing to breed in.
- Tip out pot plant saucers, birdbaths and anything else that holds water for more than a few days.
What affects the price
The price depends on which insect we are treating, because a single wasp nest is a very different job from a fly problem in a large food factory. The size of the property, how many breeding sites there are and how hard they are to get at, such as roof voids or sealed drains, all affect the time on site. Commercial sites with light traps and scheduled visits are usually best quoted as a contract, and we give free quotes once we know what is flying.
Fly swatters, screens and a good bin routine handle a lot of household fly problems, and we would rather you did that than empty a can of spray into the kitchen. Where DIY falls down is when the source is hidden, like a dead rat in the ceiling, a broken drain under the floor or a wasp nest in a wall cavity. If you are still seeing the same insects two weeks after cleaning up, the breeding site is somewhere you have not found yet.
Questions we get asked in St James
Do you come out to St James for flying insect control?
Yes. St James is part of our regular South Peninsula route, along with Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Lakeside. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Can you inspect my old St James home for wood borer before I sell?
Yes, we inspect floors, roof timbers and verandas and give you a written report. Many sales need a beetle certificate, so book early.
Is fogging safe for my pets and children?
Fogging is only used where it is needed, and people and pets stay out until the product has settled and the room has been aired. We tell you exactly how long to wait before we start.
Why do I have so many fishmoths in my St James house?
Sea air and mountain damp keep old houses humid, and fishmoths love that. Drying out cupboards and a targeted treatment brings numbers down.
How quickly can you come out?
We aim for around 48 hours, though it varies with the season, and we can do after-hours or weekend visits on request.
Can you treat a whole business, not just a house?
Yes. Restaurants, food factories, warehouses and offices usually go onto a contract with scheduled visits, monitoring and a report for each service.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
