Mowbray is busy and mixed: old cottages, student digs, a station and taxi rank, small shops and the Liesbeek running along one side. That combination keeps us busy with rats, cockroaches and, more than most suburbs, bed bugs.
Mowbray: what drives rodents here
Norway rats burrow along the Liesbeek banks and move into homes through broken air bricks and under floors. Roof rats use the overhead cables and trees along the narrow streets.
A lot of the housing is Victorian and Edwardian semi-detached cottages and terraces, many converted into student lets or split into rooms. Shared walls, old suspended timber floors and crumbling air bricks give rodents and cockroaches easy movement between homes. Blocks of flats near Main Road add shared ducts and bin rooms. The commercial strip around the station has takeaways and small grocers with busy back yards.
The Liesbeek River runs along the eastern side, joining the Black River near the Observatory boundary, and its banks are a natural highway for rats. Table Mountain's Devil's Peak side rises behind Groote Schuur, bringing heavy winter rainfall and damp walls. Old stormwater drains under the streets connect the river to the houses.
Rats are the top call, especially in houses near the river and the Main Road shops. German cockroaches are rife in shared kitchens of student houses. Bed bugs and fleas move with tenants and their furniture, and fishmoths like the damp older homes.
How to tell you have a problem
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
- Squirrels seen jumping from a tree onto the roof and disappearing under the tiles.
- Chewed electrical cables or damaged ceiling boards.
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
- Dug-up pot plants and bulbs, and nuts buried in garden beds.
Squirrels in the roof chew cables, which is a fire risk, and they damage insulation and ceiling boards. Their urine and droppings can stain ceilings and cause smells. They also chew through irrigation pipes, damage fruit trees and dig up gardens. A squirrel that dies in the roof leaves an unpleasant smell for weeks.
A note from the field
When a technician inspects for squirrels, the first thing he looks at is the trees around the house, because the branches show where the squirrels are jumping onto the roof.
How we handle squirrel control in Mowbray
We do not use poison for squirrels. Our approach is exclusion: we find every entry point and fit one-way exclusion devices so the squirrels can get out but not back in. Where it makes sense, live cage traps are used to remove squirrels from the roof. Once the roof is empty, we close the gaps with steel mesh and repair chewed areas so they cannot get back in. We also advise on trimming branches that give squirrels easy access to the roof.
- Roof inspection
We check the roof space and outside roof line to find nests and every entry point.
- Exclusion or trapping
One-way exclusion devices or live traps are fitted so the squirrels leave the roof.
- Confirm it is empty
We check that no squirrels or babies are left inside before anything is sealed.
- Proofing
Entry points are sealed with steel mesh and repairs, so they cannot chew back in.
- Report
You get a report with details of the work done and any trees to trim.
Prevention that actually works
- Do not feed squirrels in the garden, however cute they are.
- Trim tree branches so they are at least two metres away from the roof.
- Use metal mesh, not plastic, over roof vents and gaps.
- Fit squirrel guards on bird feeders, or move them away from the house.
- Pick up acorns and fallen fruit regularly if you have big trees close to the house.
How much will it cost?
The cost depends on how many entry points there are, how high the roof is and how much repair and proofing is needed. A single gap is quick to deal with, but an older roof with many chewed areas takes longer. Trapping and follow-up visits are included in the free quote.
Squirrels in Cape Town breed mainly in late winter and spring, and again in summer, and that is when they look for sheltered nesting places such as roofs. Autumn is also busy, as they gather acorns and nuts from the oak trees.
Squirrel Control questions from Mowbray
How do I know it is squirrels and not rats?
Squirrels are active during the day, especially early morning, while rats are mostly active at night.
Do the rats in Mowbray come from the Liesbeek River?
Many of them do. The river banks and connected stormwater drains give them shelter, so houses on the river side need sealed air bricks and well-closed bins.
Do squirrels come back after removal?
They will try, which is why proper proofing with steel mesh is a key part of the job.
How quickly can you treat a student house in Mowbray for bed bugs?
Our average turnaround is about 48 hours, depending on the season. Send us a photo on WhatsApp first so we can confirm it is bed bugs and tell you how to prepare the rooms.
Can squirrels damage my roof?
Yes. They chew fascia boards, roof edges and cables, and they nest in insulation.
Do you come out to Mowbray for squirrel control?
Yes. Mowbray is part of our regular Southern Suburbs route, along with Observatory, Rosebank, Rondebosch, Pinelands. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
