You open the house after a few weeks away and there are droppings on the kitchen counter, a trail of ants to the sugar tin and cobwebs in every corner. If that's your Bothastrand weekend, you need two things: the current problem cleared, and the house set up so it doesn't happen every time you leave. We can do both in one visit, with a follow-up where it's needed.
Living next to the bush
Bothastrand is a small seaside community between Mossel Bay and George, close to Groot Brak River, with homes set among coastal bush. That bush is lovely to look at and a good home for the pests that end up indoors. Mice and rats live in the undergrowth and move into roofs and garages when it suits them. Ants nest in sandy soil right up against the foundations. Spiders follow the insects that are drawn to outside lights.
Being near the sea adds its own twist. Salt air is hard on metal, so vent covers, fly screens and the mesh over air bricks rust and break sooner than they would inland. Every broken mesh is an open door.
What brings people to us here
- Rats and mice in the roof, the garage or the cupboard under the sink, especially in houses that stand empty for spells.
- Ants marching in from the garden, often after rain or when the weather turns.
- Cockroaches in kitchens and drains.
- Fleas, usually where pets come and go between house and bush.
- Spiders and fish moths in quiet corners, linen cupboards and stored boxes.
How we handle a Bothastrand job
We begin outside, because that's where most of the trouble starts. We walk the boundary of the house, look at where the bush meets the walls, check eaves, vents, pipes and gaps under doors, and look for nests and runs. Then we go inside and check the roof space, kitchen, bathrooms and any rooms that are seldom used.
Treatment depends on what we find. For crawling insects, we use odourless, non-staining residual sprays as a protective barrier inside and around the outside. Ants get baits that they carry back to the nest. Cockroaches get gel baits placed where they hide and breed. For rodents, we set lockable bait stations, traps or tracking powder, chosen around your pets and children, and we show you exactly where they've been getting in.
For an insect treatment there's no need to pack up cupboards or leave the house. Surfaces are safe for kids and pets once dry. Rodent work usually means a follow-up to check the stations, and once activity stops we can sanitise the areas they used.
A local tip
Once a year, walk around the house and check every piece of mesh: air bricks, roof vents, the screen over the geyser overflow, kitchen extractor vents. In a seaside spot like Bothastrand, these corrode quietly. Replacing a rusted vent cover is cheap and stops mice far better than any bait. While you're out there, cut back any branches or shrubs that touch the roof or gutters.
The mistake we see most
Leaving food behind when the house is locked up. A half-open box of cereal, a bag of dog pellets in the scullery or a forgotten packet of rusks is enough to keep a mouse family fed for weeks. Before you leave, put dry food in sealed containers or take it with you, empty the bins and wipe down the counters. It sounds basic, but it makes a real difference to what you find when you come back.
How much will it cost?
It depends on what we're treating, the size of the house and how established the problem is. A general insect treatment for a normal home is a fairly simple job. Rats in a roof that need proofing advice, stations and a follow-up visit or two take more time. If you'd like your holiday home checked between visits, we can talk about a regular service. We'll give you a free quote first. And if it's one mouse and you've already found the gap it used, a couple of snap traps and some mesh may be all you need. We'll say so.
We're SAPCA registered, our treatments come with a 3-month guarantee, and we've worked in the Garden Route for more than 25 years from our office in George. For rodents specifically, see rodent control in Bothastrand, and for more on how we work generally, see pest control in George.
Call us on 044 012 5011 when it suits you, and we'll arrange a time to come through to Bothastrand.
Questions we get asked
Can you treat the house while we're away?
Yes, if someone can let us in or arrange access. Many owners of seaside homes book a treatment for just before they arrive so the house is clear and ready.
Do the sprays affect the coastal bush or birds?
We treat around the house itself, not the surrounding bush. Sprays are applied to the walls, foundations and entry points where pests cross, rather than broadcast over the garden.
Why are there more mice in winter?
Cold, wet weather pushes them to look for dry shelter and food, and a roof or a quiet garage is ideal. Autumn is a good time to get proofing done.
What if the pests come back after treatment?
If the pests we treated return within three months, we come back and re-treat at no extra cost. That's our standard guarantee.
Do you also do businesses in the area?
Yes. Alongside homes, we look after shops, offices, restaurants and industrial sites across the Garden Route.