Llandudno Mosquito Control

Llandudno is a small, steep village tucked between Little Lion's Head and the Karbonkelberg, with Victoria Road above and a sandy cove below. There are no shops here, so the pests we deal with come almost entirely from the mountain, the sea and the houses themselves.

The local picture in Llandudno

Fleas can turn up after a house has been empty and pets return. Bird mites are possible where pigeons have nested in roof gaps.

Fynbos covers the slopes right up to the back walls, and the granite boulders hold heat and shelter all sorts of crawling life. The South-Easter funnels over the mountain in summer, while winter storms push salt spray and damp up from the beach. Sandy Bay and the coastal path lie just to the south.

Homes are large, individual houses built into the granite slopes, many on several levels with timber decks, glass and big overhangs. Holiday homes can stand empty for weeks, and that's when rodents and wasps move in undisturbed. Retaining walls and boulders built into gardens leave plenty of hollows for rats and scorpions.

Rats and mice from the mountain, spiders and scorpions from the fynbos, and wasps under decks are the usual suspects. Fishmoths turn up in damp storerooms on the lower levels. Gulls and pigeons can be a nuisance on flat roofs.

Signs to look for

1. Small dark mosquitoes resting on shaded walls, under the eaves or behind curtains during the day.
2. A high-pitched whine near your ear just as you fall asleep.
3. Itchy, raised bites on arms, face and feet that were left outside the covers.
4. Wriggling larvae, sometimes called wigglers, in pond edges, buckets, bird baths or pool covers.

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.

Worth knowing

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.

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.

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.

Stopping a repeat visit

• Stock ornamental ponds with small fish that eat larvae, and keep water features running.
• 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.
• Keep pool water circulating and treated, and drain the water that collects on top of pool covers.
• Clean gutters after winter so they do not hold water through summer.

What affects the price

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.

Most mosquito problems on a normal suburban property can be cut dramatically by the owner just by emptying standing water every week. Plug-in repellents and sprays help you sleep, but they do nothing about where the mosquitoes come from. Call a professional when the breeding site is something you cannot fix yourself, like a large pond, a blocked drain or a neighbouring property, or when you need numbers down for an event.

Questions we get asked in Llandudno

Mosquito Control nearby and related