Pest control in Glen Austin, Midrand

Pest control in Glen Austin is mainly about rats and mice in feed rooms and outbuildings, flies around stables and manure, ticks on dogs and in long grass, harvester termites in paddocks and lawns, and scorpions in rocky ground. We inspect the whole plot, not just the house, and treat each pest where it's breeding.

Glen Austin's plots and smallholdings

Glen Austin is a semi-rural part of Midrand, close to Halfway Gardens. Much of it is made up of agricultural holdings: large stands with a main house, outbuildings, staff accommodation, stables or paddocks, and sometimes small businesses run from the property. Some plots have been subdivided into small estates and clusters, but there's still plenty of open grass and space between homes.

A plot has far more places for pests to live than a suburban stand. Feed stores, tack rooms, compost and manure heaps, water troughs, long grass, wood piles and old equipment all provide food, water and cover. That's why a Glen Austin inspection takes longer, and why treating only the house rarely solves the problem.

Rats and mice in outbuildings

Horse feed, dog food, chicken feed and stored grain draw rodents in large numbers. Brown rats burrow under stable floors, feed rooms and compost, while mice nest in bales, tack rooms and roof spaces. They contaminate feed, chew tack, wiring and irrigation pipes, and can spread disease to animals and people. We place lockable, tamper-resistant stations around outbuildings and the house, out of reach of horses, dogs and children, and use traps in sensitive areas. Storing feed in metal bins with tight lids is the single biggest help.

Flies around stables

Manure, wet bedding and spilt feed breed house flies and stable flies through summer. They irritate horses and people, and they spread bacteria. The answer is mostly management: clearing manure regularly, keeping heaps away from the house and stables, and fixing leaking troughs. We then treat resting surfaces such as walls and rafters to bring numbers down. Our fly control in Midrand explains more.

Ticks on dogs and in the grass

Long grass, paddocks and wildlife or neighbouring livestock mean ticks, especially in the warmer months. Dogs bring them onto patios and into kennels and homes. We treat kennels, patios, the base of walls and the grass immediately around the house, while your vet treats the animals. See tick control in Midrand for how it works.

Termites in paddocks, lawns and buildings

Harvester termites strip grass in paddocks and lawns, especially in dry winters, leaving small holes and bare earth. Subterranean termites are a risk to timber outbuildings, stable partitions, fence posts and the house itself, especially where timber touches soil. Our termite control in Midrand covers both, and termite work carries a 5-year guarantee and certificate.

Scorpions and spiders

Rocky outcrops, wood piles and old building material give scorpions and spiders shelter. A barrier treatment around the house and staff quarters keeps them out of living areas. Rodent control has a knock-on benefit too: fewer rats and mice means less food for snakes, which makes plots less attractive to them.

Our approach on plots

We walk the whole property with you: the house, outbuildings, stables, feed and tack rooms, staff quarters and the immediate grounds. Then we agree on a plan, which on plots often includes a regular rodent service, because the food supply is constant. Treatments are odourless and non-staining. Nobody has to move out; keep pets, horses and children away from treated areas until they've dried.

The mistake on smallholdings

Using loose poison in feed rooms and stables. Animals can eat it, dogs can eat poisoned rats, and owls and other wildlife that hunt rodents can be poisoned too. Bait should always be inside a locked station, and placed where animals can't reach it.

A Glen Austin tip

Raise feed bags and bales off the floor on pallets, with a gap to the wall. It takes away the hidden nesting spots rodents rely on and makes droppings easy to spot.

What it costs and why

Plots cost more to treat than suburban stands because there's more ground and more buildings to cover. The price depends on the number of outbuildings, the pests involved, and whether you want a once-off treatment or a regular service. Ticks and flies depend on the area treated; termites on the building perimeter and timber involved, or the size of the paddock for harvesters. A guide "from" price appears on this page, and our pest control prices for Johannesburg list the main services.

Glen Austin is part of our Midrand pest control area, and suburban homes next door are covered on our Halfway Gardens page.

Combat Pest Control is the business of Jason van Heerden, owner and operator, who has spent 25 years treating homes, plots and businesses. We're SAPCA registered and registered with the Department of Agriculture under Act 36, provide service within 24 hours and back general treatments with a 3-month guarantee. Call 084 200 2700 or WhatsApp us a photo.