One row of houses, the waves almost at the front step, a cliff behind and the railway line above. Victoria Bay is a tiny place, and its pest problems are as particular as the bay itself.
Victoria Bay's seafront houses and holiday rentals tend to need help with three things: rats and mice moving down from the bush on the cliff, cockroaches in kitchens that change hands every week in season, and fishmoths and other damp-loving insects in rooms that breathe salt air all year. We treat them with products that have no smell and are safe for guests, children and pets once dry, backed by our 3-month guarantee.
Living with the sea on the doorstep
The houses at Victoria Bay are squeezed between the sea and a steep, bush-covered slope, with very little garden and a lot of weather. Spray from the waves, sea mist and damp air keep walls, cupboards and linen damp, and damp is what fishmoths, booklice and mould need. Behind the houses, the cliff and the coastal bush give rodents and insects shelter right up to the back door.
Most of the houses are holiday homes or rentals, which means long quiet spells with nobody inside, followed by a few weeks of full occupancy. That pattern suits pests perfectly.
Rodents from the slope
Rats and mice live in the bush on the slope and come down into houses through gaps under doors, around pipes and through the roof, especially in autumn and winter when the houses are quiet. Droppings in the kitchen and chewed packets in the cupboard are often what the first guests of the season find. We place tamper-resistant bait stations where rodents are moving, inside and out, and show the owner exactly where they're getting in. Our rodent control page explains the full process.
Cockroaches in busy kitchens
A rental kitchen sees a lot of different groceries, boxes and bags. German cockroaches arrive in those, settle behind the fridge and in the cupboard hinges, and breed quickly once the house is busy. Gel baiting in the right cracks clears them, and a treatment before the season starts keeps the first guests from meeting them.
Fishmoths and damp
Linen cupboards, bookshelves and boxes in salt-damp rooms are where fishmoths and booklice thrive. A treatment of cracks, skirtings and cupboard joints deals with the insects, but the long-term answer is airflow: open windows on dry days, keep cupboard doors ajar when the house is empty, and use moisture absorbers or a dehumidifier in closed rooms.
Flies and bins
With the beach in front and limited space for bins, rubbish bags waiting for collection in summer attract flies quickly. Closed bins, bags tied tight and bins rinsed regularly help more than any spray.
Cockroaches from the drains
Big American cockroaches sometimes come up through the drains in seaside houses, especially once a house has stood empty long enough for the U-bends under the shower and basin to dry out. Running every tap and flushing the toilets when you arrive, and asking whoever looks after the house to do the same once a month, closes that route. If they're still coming in, the drains outside need treating. See American cockroaches.
For owners and rental managers
If you rent the house out, the most useful thing we can do is visit before the season starts. We check the roof space, kitchen and cupboards, treat for whatever we find, and let you know about anything that needs fixing, like a gap under a door or a broken air vent. You don't need to be there. For the pre-season visit, see our holiday home page, and if a guest reports bites, see bed bug treatment.
Getting to the houses
Access to the houses at Victoria Bay is tight, with limited parking and a narrow road down to the bay. Let us know which house it is and where we can park when you book, and we'll plan the visit around it.
How we treat
- Inspection Roof space, kitchen, cupboards and bathrooms, plus the outside walls and the slope behind the house where we can reach it.
- Treatment The right method for each pest: gel bait for cockroaches, bait stations for rodents, residual treatments for crawling insects and fishmoths.
- Advice What to change before you close the house up again, and what to tell the next guests.
Permanent residents at the bay have the same problems spread through the year. Spraying a barrier round the walls in spring and again in autumn, and looking in the roof before winter, stops most of it at the door.
What it costs
Cottage or big house, which pests, how long they've been there and whether a second visit is needed: those are the things that set the price. A pre-season check and general treatment of a small cottage is a short job. Rats established in the roof take more visits. We'll quote before we start.
Victoria Bay is between George and Wilderness, and we work in both. To book, ring 044 012 5011 or send a message through the site.
Frequently asked questions
The houses at Victoria Bay are awkward to reach. Is that a problem?
Not for us. Tell us about parking and the walk down when you book, and we'll carry in everything we need in one go.
Can you treat a rental between check-out and check-in?
In most cases. Ordinary sprays and gel baits dry quickly, so the gap between guests is usually enough. Send us the booking dates.
Why is our beach house full of fishmoths?
Salt air and damp keep linen and cupboards humid, and fishmoths love that. A treatment, plus airing the house and a dehumidifier in rooms that stay closed, keeps them down.
Where are the rats coming from?
The bush on the slope behind the houses. They come down at night and get in under doors, around pipes and through the roof.
Why do cockroaches climb out of the shower drain?
Large cockroaches live in drains and climb up through traps that have dried out. Run water down unused drains every week and put the plugs in when you leave.
Who do you report to if the owner isn't there?
Whoever you tell us to, the owner, the rental manager or both. You'll hear what we found and what we did.