Green Point packs a stadium, a big urban park, the Metropolitan golf course and dense streets of flats, guesthouses and Victorian semis into one small slice of the Atlantic Seaboard. Lots of people, lots of restaurants and lots of open lawn means rats, cockroaches and Egyptian geese all feel at home.
Biting insects in Green Point: what we see
Bed bugs are a regular call in guesthouses and short-stay apartments with high turnover. Fleas show up in homes with pets, and bird mites can follow pigeons nesting on balconies.
The suburb runs from the lower slopes of Signal Hill down to the Green Point Common, with Green Point Urban Park and Cape Town Stadium on the flat land toward Mouille Point. The park's lawns, wetland features and ponds draw Egyptian geese and gulls, and the sea air keeps corners damp. Old stormwater drains run downhill toward the coast, giving rats and big drain roaches a network under the streets.
Along Main Road and the side streets climbing toward Signal Hill you get Victorian and Edwardian terraces with timber floors and pressed-metal ceilings, plus newer apartment blocks with basements and shared bin rooms. Guesthouses and short-stay apartments turn over guests constantly. Restaurants along Main Road and Somerset Road share back lanes and service ducts with the flats above, and that is where German cockroaches and rats move between businesses and homes.
Something most people miss
Children tend to react more strongly to mosquito bites, with bigger swelling and more scratching. A net over the cot and screens on the bedroom window are simple, effective protection.
What gives them away
- Swarms in the evening near a water feature, drain or neglected pool.
- 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.
- A high-pitched whine near your ear just as you fall asleep.
- Itchy, raised bites on arms, face and feet that were left outside the covers.
- Day-time bites on the ankles while sitting in the garden, which points to Aedes breeding nearby.
In the Western Cape, mosquitoes are mainly a nuisance and are not a malaria risk, but the bites can cause swelling and itching that is worse in children and some adults. Scratched bites can become infected, and constant night-time biting leads to poor sleep for the whole household. For hospitality businesses, restaurants with outdoor seating and wedding venues, mosquitoes in the evening can directly affect guest comfort and reviews.
What happens when we come out
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.
Prevention that actually works
- Fit mosquito screens to bedroom windows and use a net over cots in 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.
- Clean gutters after winter so they do not hold water through summer.
- Keep pool water circulating and treated, and drain the water that collects on top of pool covers.
- Stock ornamental ponds with small fish that eat larvae, and keep water features running.
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.
Mosquito Control questions from Green Point
Do you come out to Green Point for mosquito control?
Yes. Green Point is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Mouille Point, Three Anchor Bay, Sea Point, De Waterkant. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Is there a malaria risk in Cape Town?
No, the Western Cape is not a malaria area. Mosquitoes here are a nuisance and cause itchy bites, but the main concern is comfort and sleep.
How do I keep Egyptian geese off my Green Point lawn and pool?
Bird deterrents, netting over pools when not in use and removing easy grazing areas all help. We can look at your property and suggest what will work best.
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.
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.
Can you treat a Green Point guesthouse for bed bugs between bookings?
Yes, after-hours and weekend visits are available on request. We inspect, treat affected rooms and give you a post-treatment report.
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