Table View is big, busy and windy, with the famous postcard view of Table Mountain across the bay. Between the beachfront, the Rietvlei wetland and the shopping strips along Blaauwberg Road, we see a bit of everything here.
Mosquitoes and midges near Rietvlei
Homes in Table View close to Rietvlei and the Diep River wetland get the most mosquitoes and midges, especially on calm, warm evenings between South-Easters. The wetland itself is a protected area we don't treat, but a lot of the biting around homes comes from breeding sites right in the garden: blocked gutters, pot saucers, unused pools and water features.
We find and treat breeding water on your property and treat the shaded resting spots where adults sit during the day. Fitting fine mesh screens to bedroom windows helps on the worst nights.
Much of the suburb is face-brick family homes from the seventies onward, with plenty of newer townhouse complexes and apartment blocks filling in the gaps. Busy centres and restaurants along Blaauwberg Road and Koeberg Road bring commercial pest work.
Something most people miss
Electric bug zappers attract plenty of insects, but studies have shown that very few of them are mosquitoes. Screens and source reduction do far more.
Tell-tale signs
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Why it matters: 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.
- Property walk
We check gutters, drains, ponds, pools, water features and containers for larvae.
- Remove or fix breeding sites
We show you what to empty, cover or repair, and clear what we can on the day.
- Treat remaining water
Ponds, drains and sumps that cannot be emptied are treated with a larvicide or growth regulator.
- Treat resting areas
A residual spray goes onto shaded foliage, eaves and patio areas where adults rest.
- Fogging if needed
ULV fogging is used for events or severe cases to reduce adult numbers quickly.
- Follow-up plan
We leave a report and agree whether follow-up visits through summer make sense.
Prevention that actually works
- Keep pool water circulating and treated, and drain the water that collects on top of pool covers.
- Store old tyres, tins and containers under cover or throw them away.
- 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.
- Stock ornamental ponds with small fish that eat larvae, and keep water features running.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
Are the mosquitoes in Table View worse near Rietvlei?
Yes, homes along the wetland edge get the most. We can treat breeding spots on your property and advise on screens, but the vlei itself is a protected wetland and stays as it is.
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.
Can you treat before a wedding or function?
Yes. We usually inspect beforehand, deal with breeding sites and then fog or spray resting areas shortly before the event.
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.
Can you treat Rietvlei for mosquitoes?
No, it's a protected wetland. We treat breeding water and resting spots on your property, which still cuts bites a lot.
How far do mosquitoes fly?
Most household mosquitoes do not fly far from where they bred, so the source is usually on your property or a neighbour's.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
