Pest control in Proclamation Hill

Pest control in Proclamation Hill is shaped by the hill itself: rocky, dry ground brings scorpions, spiders and harvester termites close to the house, while older roofs and kitchens give rats, ants and cockroaches a foothold. Combat Pest Control comes out from Johannesburg, inspects the property and the slope around it, and treats each pest in the way that actually works.

Living on the hill

Proclamation Hill is a small, established residential suburb in the west of Pretoria, close to Pretoria West. As the name suggests, it sits on raised ground, and many stands slope, with retaining walls, rockeries and terraced gardens. Houses are mostly older family homes, with some outbuildings and garden flats. There's open, rocky veld not far away on the western side of the city.

That setting decides a lot. Loose rock, packed stone walls and dry, sun-warmed soil are exactly what scorpions and many spiders like. Harvester termites thrive in dry grassland and lawns. And the warm Pretoria climate keeps all of them active for a long season.

Scorpions and spiders

Most scorpions found around Pretoria homes are the thick-tailed or thin-pincered types that shelter under rocks, paving, firewood and garden rubble during the day and come out at night to hunt. Thick tails and small pincers suggest a species with stronger venom, and those deserve extra caution, especially with children around. They come indoors through gaps under doors and through garages, and they often turn up in shoes, laundry baskets and bathrooms.

We treat the outside of the house with a residual barrier along the foundations, doorways and garage, treat the rockeries and retaining walls where they shelter, and treat the indoor spots they use. Then we show you which gaps to close. Our scorpion control in Gauteng page goes into the species and the signs in more detail. Spiders, including the button and sac spiders people worry about, are handled in the same visit, since they share the same shelters and the same food.

Termites on dry ground

Harvester termites strip lawns on dry, sloping stands, leaving bare patches and small soil heaps around open holes, mostly in winter and early spring. Subterranean termites are less visible: look for mud tubes on retaining walls, foundations and inside built-in cupboards. We identify the species first because the treatment is different. Structural termite work comes with a 5-year guarantee and a treatment certificate.

Inside the house

In older Proclamation Hill homes we regularly deal with roof rats getting in where the roof sheets meet the walls, mice in kitchens and garages, ants trailing in along skirting boards, and German cockroaches in kitchens. Rats are baited outside in lockable stations and trapped in the roof. Ants get bait that is carried back to the nest, and cockroaches get gel bait placed in their hiding places.

When it's more than a visitor

One scorpion in a summer is normal on a rocky stand. These are the signs that something is living close to the house and worth treating:

• Scorpions found indoors more than once or twice in a season
• Several scorpions under the same stones, pots or paving slabs when you lift them
• Spider webs and egg sacs building up in the garage, the outside toilet or under the eaves
• Crickets and beetles around outside lights at night, which is what scorpions and spiders come to hunt
• Mud tubes on a retaining wall or the side of a step

Outside lights deserve a mention. A bright light next to the back door draws insects, and the insects draw scorpions and spiders to exactly the doorway you use most. A warm-coloured bulb or a light on a sensor helps.

A common mistake

People see a scorpion and spray the inside of the house. It does very little: scorpions spend the day outside under stones and only pass through the house at night. The treatment needs to go where they live, around the rockery, the retaining wall, the woodpile and the base of the walls, with the gaps under doors sealed. A brush strip on the garage door is worth more than a can of spray.

A hillside tip

On a sloping stand, the gap under the lowest door is usually the problem, because soil and stones wash against it and wear the seal. Fit a proper door sweep, keep a clear strip of paving or gravel right against the house, and move loose rock and firewood away from the walls. Shake out shoes and gardening gloves that have been left outside.

What it costs and why

Price depends on what we're treating, the size of the house and garden, and how much rockery and retaining wall needs attention. A scorpion and spider treatment for a standard home is a moderate job; adding rats or cockroaches in the same visit usually costs less than booking them separately. Termite soil treatment is the biggest cost because of the work involved. This page shows a guide "from" price, and our full price guide breaks down the factors. We'll be honest if sealing gaps and clearing rubble would solve it on its own.

Nearby, we work in Pretoria West and Pretoria Gardens pest control, and across the city; the range of treatments we offer is on our pest control across Johannesburg and Gauteng page.

Combat Pest Control has 25 years behind it and is owned and operated by Jason van Heerden. We're registered with SAPCA and the Department of Agriculture, we aim for service within 24 hours, and our general treatments are guaranteed for 3 months. Found a scorpion and want to know what it is? WhatsApp us a photo, or call 084 200 2700.