Mouille Point is a strip of apartment blocks facing the sea between the lighthouse and the Waterfront, so most of our work is in flats, basements and bin rooms. Sea air, shared services and a busy promenade shape almost every pest problem here.
The local picture in Mouille Point
Timber is limited to floors, fitted cupboards and doors in most flats, though old parquet can carry borer. Beetle certificates still apply on sale even for apartments.
Most people live in mid-rise and high-rise blocks along Beach Road, many built in the sixties and seventies with newer luxury developments in between. Shared refuse rooms, service ducts and basement parking connect every unit in a building, so a cockroach problem in one flat rarely stays there. Balconies facing the ocean collect gull and pigeon droppings. Body corporates usually want the whole block treated at once, which works far better than one flat at a time.
Cockroaches in apartment kitchens and ducts are the most common call, followed by rats and mice around bin rooms. Fishmoths and silverfish thrive in the damp sea air. Gulls and pigeons on balconies are a constant complaint.
From the technician
If you have a pool or pond next to a lapa, mention it. We plan treatments under thatch so nothing drifts into the water.
Tell-tale signs
- Droppings on beams or along the top of walls under the thatch.
- Birds pulling reed out of the roof or nesting under the eaves.
- Tunnels or loose patches in the thatch where rodents have been moving.
- Fine powder dropping from the poles or laths onto floors and furniture below.
Borer in the poles and laths weakens the timbers that carry the weight of the thatch, which is heavy, and serious damage can mean replacing structural members. Rodents nesting in thatch chew electrical cables, and in a thatch roof that is a fire risk to take seriously. Insects dropping from an open thatch ceiling are a nuisance in homes and a real problem in guest lodges and restaurants. Bird nests in thatch can bring mites into bedrooms below.
How we handle thatch treatment in Mouille Point
We start by inspecting the underside of the roof, the poles, the laths and the eaves, looking for borer exit holes, frass and rodent or bird activity. Affected poles and laths are treated with a borer spray or injection designed for timber, applied to the wood rather than soaked through the thatch. For insects living in the thatch, we use a targeted residual treatment on the underside, keeping it as light as will do the job. Rodents are handled with traps and tamper-resistant bait stations placed at wall plates and entry points, and we advise on bird netting or proofing at the eaves. Fire safety of the thatch itself, such as retardant treatment, is a separate specialist job and we will tell you if it looks overdue.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our thatch treatment service works.
Prevention that actually works
- Have electrical wiring in the roof inspected regularly, especially if you have had rodents.
- Do not store firewood or boxes against the walls under the thatch, as they give insects and rodents cover.
- Have open thatch ceilings in lapas and lodges checked once a year, since problems are easy to see early.
- Keep trees and creepers trimmed back from the thatch so rodents cannot step straight onto the roof.
- Ask your thatcher to check the poles and laths for borer whenever the roof is being repaired or re-combed.
How much will it cost?
The price depends on the size of the roof, how much of the structure is exposed and how many poles and laths show borer activity. A small lapa with an open underside is a very different job from a double-storey home with a closed ceiling. Rodent and bird work is added where needed, and timber that is too damaged to treat has to be replaced by a builder or thatcher.
Adult borer beetles emerge mainly in the warmer months, so fresh powder and holes often appear from late spring into summer. Rodents move into thatch most during the wet Cape winters when it offers dry shelter. Treatment can be done at any time of year, though a dry day makes inspecting the roof easier.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to move out?
Usually not. We will tell you which rooms to keep clear during treatment and for how long.
How do I know if the borer is still active?
Fresh, pale powder below the poles and clean-edged holes point to active borer. We can tell you on inspection, or send us a photo on WhatsApp first.
Is there a guarantee?
Our treatments carry a minimum 3-month guarantee, and the report records exactly what was treated.
Do cockroaches in Mouille Point flats come from the sea or the drains?
The drains, mostly. American cockroaches live in the sewer and stormwater lines and come up through floor drains and ducts, especially after winter storms.
How do I stop gulls messing on my Mouille Point balcony?
Bird netting or a tension wire system over the balcony is the most effective option, and spikes help on narrow ledges. We remove nests and clean up first so the birds do not keep returning.
Do you come out to Mouille Point for thatch treatment?
Yes. Mouille Point is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Green Point, Three Anchor Bay, Sea Point, De Waterkant. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
