The City Bowl is the CBD and the older residential suburbs packed into the bowl formed by Table Mountain, Devil's Peak, Lion's Head and Signal Hill. Pest work here is a mix of restaurant and office contracts in town and older homes and flats up the slopes, with rats tying the two together.
Mosquito Control by suburb
We cover all 26 suburbs on our City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route. Each suburb page covers what we find there and what works for those streets and buildings.
- Bantry BayMosquito Control
- Bo-KaapMosquito Control
- Camps BayMosquito Control
- CliftonMosquito Control
- De WaterkantMosquito Control
- ForeshoreMosquito Control
- FresnayeMosquito Control
- GardensMosquito Control
- Green PointMosquito Control
- HiggovaleMosquito Control
- Hout BayMosquito Control
- Imizamo YethuMosquito Control
- LlandudnoMosquito Control
- Malay QuarterMosquito Control
- Mouille PointMosquito Control
- OranjezichtMosquito Control
- Schotsche KloofMosquito Control
- Sea PointMosquito Control
- TamboerskloofMosquito Control
- Three Anchor BayMosquito Control
- University EstateMosquito Control
- Upper WoodstockMosquito Control
- VredehoekMosquito Control
- Walmer EstateMosquito Control
- WoodstockMosquito Control
- ZonnebloemMosquito Control
Biting insects in City Bowl: what we see
Bed bugs are the big biting pest here because of the hotels, backpackers and short-term flats. Pigeons nesting on window ledges can also send bird mites into the bedroom behind.
The mountain rises right behind the suburbs, with the Company's Garden and the slopes of Table Mountain National Park providing green corridors. Winter rain runs hard down the slopes, and the South-Easter brings the famous tablecloth and blows litter around the streets. The heat traps in the bowl on still summer days.
Rats are the big one, living in old drains, restaurant lanes and the Company's Garden. German cockroaches are common in restaurants and flats. Pigeons on buildings and bed bugs in hotels and rentals round out the main issues.
Tell-tale signs
- Itchy, raised bites on arms, face and feet that were left outside the covers.
- Wriggling larvae, sometimes called wigglers, in pond edges, buckets, bird baths or pool covers.
- Small dark mosquitoes resting on shaded walls, under the eaves or behind curtains during the day.
- Day-time bites on the ankles while sitting in the garden, which points to Aedes breeding nearby.
- Swarms in the evening near a water feature, drain or neglected pool.
- A high-pitched whine near your ear just as you fall asleep.
From the technician
When our technician arrives, the first thing they check is the gutters. Blocked gutters full of leaves hold water for weeks after rain and are one of the most overlooked breeding sites in Cape Town homes.
The south-easter is not all bad news. Mosquitoes struggle to fly in strong wind, so windy Cape Town days are often bite-free, and the worst nights come when the wind drops.
How we handle mosquito control in City Bowl
Source reduction always comes first: we walk the property and find every place water collects, from gutters and drains to ponds, water features, plant saucers and covered pools, and tell you which ones to empty, fix or cover. Water that cannot be removed, such as ponds and drains, can be treated with a larvicide or insect growth regulator that stops larvae becoming adults. Adult mosquitoes rest in cool, shaded places during the day, so we apply a residual spray to the undersides of shrubs, hedges, eaves, patio ceilings and other resting areas. For events or heavy problems, ULV fogging can knock down adult numbers quickly, but it only works properly when combined with dealing with the breeding sites.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our mosquito control service works.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Clean gutters after winter so they do not hold water through summer.
- Empty pot-plant saucers, buckets, bird baths and pet water bowls at least once a week, because larvae develop into adults in about a week in hot weather.
- Fit mosquito screens to bedroom windows and use a net over cots in summer.
- Stock ornamental ponds with small fish that eat larvae, and keep water features running.
- Store old tyres, tins and containers under cover or throw them away.
How much will it cost?
Cost depends on the size of the property, how many breeding sites there are and whether larger water bodies such as ponds or drains need treating. A once-off treatment is priced differently from a programme of visits through the summer season. Fogging for an event is quoted on the size of the area, and the quote itself is free.
Mosquitoes start building up once the weather warms in October and peak from December to March, especially after a wet winter has filled ponds, vleis and gutters. Calm, humid evenings are the worst, while the strong south-easter actually keeps them down on windy days. Numbers drop sharply when the cold, wet winter sets in from about May.
Frequently asked questions
Does fogging get rid of mosquitoes?
Fogging kills adults that are flying at the time, but new ones will hatch from any untreated water. It works best as part of a plan that deals with breeding sites.
Why are there so many mosquitoes this summer?
Usually because a wet winter left more standing water, or a breeding site has developed close by, such as a blocked gutter or an untreated pond.
Why does my Gardens or Vredehoek flat keep getting cockroaches?
Usually because German cockroaches are moving in from neighbouring flats through shared plumbing risers and electrical ducts. Treating the units around yours at the same time, and sealing gaps around pipes under the sink, gives a far longer result.
Are the treatments safe for fish in my pond?
We choose larvicides suitable for the situation and will tell you if a product is not appropriate for a fish pond. In many cases, fish themselves are the best control.
Do you come out to City Bowl for mosquito control?
Yes. City Bowl is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Gardens, Tamboerskloof, Oranjezicht, Vredehoek. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Do the rats in the City Bowl come from the Company's Garden?
The garden does carry a lot of rats, but homes and businesses further away are usually dealing with rats from old drains and restaurant lanes. We find where they are actually living, then bait outside and seal the gaps they use to get in.
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