Living with pests in Gardens
Victorian and Edwardian semis with corrugated iron roofs, broekie lace stoeps and wooden floors sit alongside blocks of flats and modern apartments. Old houses have hollow walls and suspended floors, so mice and rats can move through without being seen. Restaurants, coffee shops and bars along Kloof Street sit below residential flats. Many homes are rentals with frequent turnover.
Gardens lies on the lower slopes below Table Mountain, between the city centre and Kloof Nek. The Company's Garden and its old trees are a squirrel haven. Winter rain runs down from the mountain, and in summer the South-Easter tumbles down off the mountain into the streets.
The pests we get called out for most in Gardens
Squirrels and roof rats in ceilings are the classic call. German cockroaches in restaurant kitchens and the flats above them come next, followed by Argentine ants and fishmoths in the old houses.
Rats and mice
Grey squirrels from the Company's Garden and nearby trees chew into roofs, and roof rats use the same routes. Mice live in the hollow walls and floors of older houses.
Cockroaches, ants and other crawlers
German cockroaches in restaurants and flats, Argentine ants in summer and fishmoths in old wooden cupboards and bookshelves are the main ones.
Flies, mosquitoes and wasps
Fruit flies and drain flies are restaurant issues, and paper wasps nest under the eaves of older homes.
Fleas and bed bugs
Bed bugs are a concern in rentals and backpacker accommodation, and fleas come with pets.
Wood borer and timber
Victorian and Edwardian homes often have original pine or Oregon floors and roof timbers, and beetle certificate inspections regularly find borer here.
Pantry pests
Restaurants, bakeries and delis need regular stored-product checks, and households see weevils and pantry moths now and then.
Hygiene and disinfection
Restaurants, schools, medical rooms and rentals book disinfection, and short-term rentals are sanitised between guests.
Birds
Pigeons roost on old roofs and parapets, and gulls are common around restaurant bins. Netting and spikes protect stoeps and balconies.
How a visit works
We start with an inspection, because the right answer for ants is different from the right answer for rats, and guessing wastes money. Where we can, we go least-toxic first: gel baits for cockroaches and ants, tamper-resistant bait stations and snap traps for rodents, and insect growth regulators that break the breeding cycle. Residual sprays and dusts are applied only where they are needed, such as wall voids, cracks and roof spaces, not sprayed across every surface. Proofing is part of the job, so we point out or seal the gaps that let pests in. You get a post-treatment report so you know what was used and where.
- Tell us what you are seeing
Phone 021 012 5825 or send a photo on WhatsApp and we will help identify the pest before anyone visits.
- Inspection
A technician looks for the source, the extent of the problem and the entry points, not only the pests you can see.
- Treatment plan
We explain what we propose to use, where, and what you need to do before and after, with a free quote.
- Targeted treatment
We treat with the least-toxic effective products, focused on harbourage and entry points.
- Report and follow-up
You get a post-treatment report and a minimum 3-month guarantee, with a follow-up visit where the pest calls for it.
From the technician
The first thing a technician checks is not the pest itself but the evidence around it: droppings, rub marks, nests and entry points. That tells us how long the problem has been there and how far it has spread.
For landlords, a pest problem between tenants is much cheaper to handle while the unit is empty. Treating a flat with no furniture in it means we can reach every crack and void properly.
Everything we treat in Gardens
Rodents
Crawling and biting insects
- Insect Control
- Crawling Insect Control
- Ant Control
- Cockroach Control
- Cricket Control
- Fishmoth Control
- Scorpion Control
- Spider Control
- Biting Insect Control
- Flea Control
- Bed Bug Control
- Bird Mite Control
- Mosquito Control
Flying and stored product pests
Services
Questions from Gardens
Are the squirrels in my Gardens roof from the Company's Garden?
Very likely. Grey squirrels travel from the garden and the trees along the streets into roofs, often through gaps at the fascia. Sealing those gaps once the roof is empty is the lasting fix.
Do old Victorian houses in Gardens have more borer?
They often do, because many still have original timber floors and roof structures. A beetle certificate inspection will show whether there is active infestation that needs treatment.
Is your pest control safe for children and pets?
We use the least-toxic effective option first and place baits in tamper-resistant stations or in cracks where children and pets cannot reach. We will tell you if anyone needs to stay out of a room and for how long.
How soon can you come out?
Our average turnaround is about 48 hours, though it varies with the season. After-hours and weekend visits can be arranged on request.
