Claremont is the Southern Suburbs' shopping and office hub, built around Cavendish Square, Main Road and the station, with leafy residential streets running up towards the mountain. Our work here swings between commercial kitchens and retail on one side and older family homes with big trees on the other.
The local picture in Claremont
Upper Claremont has large older homes and newer cluster developments on generous, tree-filled plots, while the lower side near Main Road has flats, offices and shops packed close together. Older homes have wooden floors, sash windows and outbuildings that give pests plenty of hiding places.
Worth knowing
A common belief is that the bigger the scorpion, the more dangerous it is. In South Africa, it is the shape that matters: chunky pincers and a thin tail usually means mild venom, while slim pincers and a thick tail is the warning sign.
For families with small children, simple habits like shaking out shoes, checking towels and keeping bedding off the floor are just as important as any treatment.
How to tell you have a problem
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Why it matters: Most scorpion stings in the Western Cape cause local pain and swelling similar to a bee sting. Stings from thick-tailed Parabuthus species can be much more serious, especially for small children, the elderly and people with medical conditions, and need prompt medical attention. Pets, particularly curious dogs and cats, can also be stung. If someone is stung by a thick-tailed scorpion or shows symptoms such as muscle weakness, trouble swallowing or difficulty breathing, get medical help straight away.
How the treatment works
Scorpions are harder to kill with contact sprays than most insects, so we focus on a combination of habitat reduction and targeted treatment. We apply a residual treatment to entry points, door thresholds, wall bases, airbricks and known hiding spots around the outside of the house. Because scorpions follow their food, we also treat for crickets, cockroaches and other insects that attract them. Where burrows are found, they can be treated directly. We pair this with practical advice on clearing debris and sealing gaps, which is often what makes the biggest difference.
- Identify the scorpion
A WhatsApp photo helps us tell whether it is a thick-tailed species that needs extra care.
- Inspect the property
We check walls, rockeries, woodpiles, paving and any gaps where scorpions shelter or get inside.
- Reduce their food
We treat for crickets, cockroaches and other insects that scorpions hunt.
- Treat hiding places and entry points
Residual products go along wall bases, thresholds, airbricks and other key spots outside.
- Remedial advice and report
You get a report with practical changes to the garden and building to make it less welcoming.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Wear gloves when gardening, moving stones or clearing debris.
- Use yellow or warm-coloured outside lights to attract fewer insects, which means fewer scorpions hunting them.
- Fit brush strips under doors and seal gaps around pipes, airbricks and window frames.
- Keep beds and cots away from walls and do not let bedding hang down to the floor.
- Move rubble, firewood, bricks and loose stones away from the walls of the house.
What affects the price
The cost depends on the size of the property and garden, how much hiding space there is in rockeries and walls, and whether an insect treatment is needed to reduce their food. Properties on the edge of open veld or fynbos tend to have more ongoing pressure and may benefit from regular treatments. Follow-ups and any contract options are included in a free quote.
Scorpions are most active in the warm months from late spring to early autumn, especially on hot, still nights. The first rains of the season can flood burrows and drive them indoors or into garages. In winter they become much less active and stay in their burrows.
Questions we get asked in Claremont
Are scorpions in Cape Town dangerous?
Most are not, but thick-tailed Parabuthus species can deliver a serious sting. Treat any scorpion with a thick tail and slender pincers with caution.
Is the treatment safe for children and pets?
Products are applied outside around entry points and wall bases rather than in living areas. Keep children and pets off treated areas until dry, and we will advise you on the day.
Why do scorpions come indoors?
They come in hunting insects or looking for shelter, often after rain floods their burrows or on hot nights. Gaps under doors and around pipes make it easy for them.
What should I do if someone is stung?
Keep the person calm, note what the scorpion looked like or take a photo, and get medical advice. If it was a thick-tailed scorpion or there are symptoms like weakness or breathing trouble, go to a doctor or emergency unit straight away.
Do you come out to Claremont for scorpion control?
Yes. Claremont is part of our regular Southern Suburbs route, along with Newlands, Kenilworth, Harfield Village, Rondebosch. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Can you get rid of scorpions completely?
Not entirely, especially next to veld or fynbos, because they move in from surrounding land. We can greatly reduce how many come close to and into the house.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
