Mosquito Control Rondebosch East

Rondebosch East is a quiet residential suburb of family homes, tidy gardens and long-established households. Most of the work we do here is keeping well-kept houses free of the pests that drift in from the busier roads and open land around it.

Rondebosch East: what drives biting insects here

Fleas from dogs and cats lead most biting complaints. Bird mites sometimes come in when mynas or pigeons nest in the roof.

The suburb sits on flat ground on the western edge of the Cape Flats, with sandy soil and open spaces such as school fields nearby. The Black River corridor and the M5 run to the west. Winters bring heavy rain and some stormwater ponding, while summers are hot and windy.

Homes are mostly single-storey brick houses on decent-sized plots, many extended with second storeys, granny flats or garages over the years. Tiled roofs with timber trusses are the norm. Extensions often leave small gaps where new roof meets old, and that's where rats and mynas get in. Several mosques, schools and small businesses along the main roads have their own pest needs.

Signs to look for

1. Day-time bites on the ankles while sitting in the garden, which points to Aedes breeding nearby.
2. Small dark mosquitoes resting on shaded walls, under the eaves or behind curtains during the day.
3. Wriggling larvae, sometimes called wigglers, in pond edges, buckets, bird baths or pool covers.
4. Swarms in the evening near a water feature, drain or neglected pool.
5. Itchy, raised bites on arms, face and feet that were left outside the covers.
6. A high-pitched whine near your ear just as you fall asleep.

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.

A note from the field

A common myth is that mosquitoes breed only in big bodies of water. In practice, a bottle cap of water in a pot-plant saucer or a sagging gutter is enough to produce a steady supply right next to your bedroom.

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 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.

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Keeping them out afterwards

• Keep pool water circulating and treated, and drain the water that collects on top of pool covers.
• 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.
• Store old tyres, tins and containers under cover or throw them away.
• Clean gutters after winter so they do not hold water through summer.
• Fit mosquito screens to bedroom windows and use a net over cots in summer.

Pricing, honestly

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.

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