Cockroach control in Johannesburg

Cockroach control in Johannesburg starts with knowing which cockroach you have. Small German cockroaches breed inside kitchens and need gel baits placed where they hide. Large American cockroaches come in from drains and need treatment outside. We identify the species, treat where they live, and return to catch the next generation.

The two cockroaches behind most calls

German cockroaches are small, light brown, with two dark stripes behind the head. They live indoors and almost never go outside. They hide in warm, tight spaces close to food and water: door hinges of kitchen cupboards, the motors of fridges and dishwashers, behind the stove, inside the kettle base and microwave. A female carries her egg case until it's about to hatch, which protects the eggs from most sprays and is one reason this species is so hard to shift.

American cockroaches are the big reddish-brown ones, often longer than a thumb, which can fly short distances on hot nights. They breed in sewers, manholes, stormwater drains and damp outdoor areas, and come inside through floor drains, open doors and gaps under them. They're more of a nuisance visitor than a resident, but in old buildings with poor drainage they can be constant.

There are others too. Our article on the common cockroaches in Johannesburg helps with identification.

Why Johannesburg has year-round cockroaches

Highveld winters are cold, but kitchens, flats and restaurants aren't. Indoors, German cockroaches breed all year, and in buildings with shared plumbing and electrical ducts they move between units easily. That's why we see so much activity in older blocks of flats, inner-city buildings and busy restaurant strips. American cockroach activity follows the weather more, peaking in the warm, wet summer months when drains are full and nights are hot.

Signs to look for

• Cockroaches running when you switch the light on at night
• Small black droppings like ground pepper inside cupboard hinges and drawer runners
• Brown egg cases in corners of cupboards or behind appliances
• Shed skins and a musty, oily smell in heavy infestations
• Sightings during the day, which usually means the hiding spots are full

How we treat cockroaches

For German cockroaches, the main tool is gel bait. We place small dots of it in the hinges, cracks, motor housings and gaps where cockroaches shelter. They feed on it and carry it back to the harbourage, where other cockroaches pick it up too. Done properly, gel baiting reaches cockroaches that a spray would never touch, and it's applied in places out of reach of children and pets. We also show you how to reduce food and water sources, because a gel competes with crumbs.

For American cockroaches, we treat the source: drains, manholes, outside wall bases, meter boxes and damp storerooms, using odourless, non-staining residual treatments. Inside, we treat the points where they come in.

A follow-up visit is essential with German cockroaches. Eggs that were protected at the first visit hatch over the following weeks, and the follow-up catches that new generation before it can breed.

Flats, complexes and restaurants

In a block of flats, cockroaches move through shared pipe ducts and gaps around plumbing. Treating one flat helps, but treating the whole block, or at least the units around it, gives a lasting result. In the inner city and the older buildings around Rosebank and Hillbrow, this is a big part of our work. In Soweto homes, taverns and spaza shops, it's often about the shop and the house behind it sharing the same problem. Older blocks of flats in Randburg see the same pattern.

Restaurants and food factories can have scheduled treatments with a written service record for every visit, so health inspectors and auditors can see what's been done.

The mistake that makes cockroaches worse

Spraying a German cockroach infestation with an aerosol from the shop. The spray kills the few you can see, scatters the rest deeper into walls and appliances, and the residue can stop them eating the gel bait later. If you've had a professional treatment, don't spray over it.

Prevention that helps

• Don't leave dishes or pet food out overnight, and wipe stovetops before bed.
• Fix dripping taps and leaks under sinks; cockroaches need water more than food.
• Check grocery boxes and second-hand appliances before bringing them into the kitchen.
• Put tight-fitting covers or traps on floor drains, especially in summer.

What cockroach control costs, and why

A gel treatment in a flat or small house is one of our more affordable jobs. Cost rises with the size of the property, how heavy the infestation is, whether there are large commercial kitchens involved, and how many units in a block need to be treated. The follow-up visit is part of the plan rather than an extra. Our guide to pest control prices lists the "from" price for cockroach treatments. If you've only seen one American cockroach after a storm, a drain cover and a well-placed trap may be enough. For DIY steps that genuinely help, read how to get rid of cockroaches.

Cockroaches are a year-round job in Johannesburg, and so are we. Combat Pest Control is SAPCA registered, registered with the Department of Agriculture and backed by Jason van Heerden's 25 years in pest control. We offer service within 24 hours, and if cockroaches return within 3 months of a completed treatment, we come back. Phone 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp a photo so we can tell German from American before we arrive.