Pest control in Norscot mostly involves roof rats coming off the trees, honeybees moving into wall cavities and roofs, fish moths in cupboards, subterranean termites in older gardens and fleas in homes with pets. We inspect the house and garden, identify the cause, treat it and leave you with practical steps to keep it from coming back.
What Norscot is like
Norscot is a residential suburb in the Fourways area, close to Douglasdale and the main Fourways shopping and business nodes. It has a good number of freestanding family homes on decent stands, along with townhouse complexes. Gardens tend to be established, with tall trees, hedges, lawns and pools, and many households have dogs.
That suburban, leafy character produces a steady, predictable set of pest problems. Trees and creepers give rats a route to the roof. Wall cavities and roof voids give bee swarms a place to settle in spring. Built-in cupboards, bookshelves and storerooms give fish moths a home. And the warm, irrigated garden that dogs love is also where fleas and termites thrive.
Norscot pests, in the order we see them
1. Roof rats
Night-time running in the ceiling, droppings in the roof and garage, chewed cables and fruit with bites out of it. Roof rats climb, so the routes are trees, creepers, telephone lines and the tops of walls. We place lockable bait stations outside, set traps in the roof and point out branches to cut and gaps to seal.
2. Bees in walls and roofs
In spring and early summer, honeybee swarms look for cavities: a gap in the eaves, a hole in a wall, an old meter box, a roof void. Once they're in, they build comb and the colony grows. Where possible we work with a beekeeper to remove them, and then seal the entrance so the scent doesn't attract the next swarm. Wasps are treated and removed. See our bee removal service in Fourways for more.
3. Fish moths
Silvery, carrot-shaped insects that dart away in bookshelves, wardrobes and storerooms, leaving small irregular holes in paper, book bindings, photographs and starched clothes. They love dark, slightly damp places with plenty of cardboard. Our fish moth treatment in Fourways page explains how a targeted residual and some decluttering clears them.
4. Subterranean termites
Mud tubes on walls, hollow skirting boards and door frames, and swarmers coming out of the floor after the first summer rains. Termites travel from moist soil in old gardens, often from buried stumps and timber. Our termite control in the Fourways area page describes the soil treatment and baiting, and structural work carries a 5-year guarantee with a certificate.
5. Fleas
Bites around the ankles, especially after the house has been empty for a few days, and dogs scratching constantly. Treat the house, the dog beds and the shady parts of the garden while the dogs are treated by your vet.
How a Norscot visit works
We start outside, looking at the roofline, trees, walls, garden and outbuildings, then move inside to the roof space, kitchen, cupboards and storerooms. You'll get a plain explanation of what we found and what we recommend. Our sprays don't smell and won't stain, so you can carry on at home; children and dogs should wait for treated surfaces to dry before going near them.
What people often get wrong
Spraying a bee colony in a wall. It may kill the bees, but the comb and honey stay inside the wall, where they melt in summer, stain the plaster, attract ants and draw new swarms to the scent. Bees in a cavity need to be removed, or at least the cavity opened, cleaned and sealed.
The Norscot year
September and October are swarm months for bees and the start of wasp season. November to February brings termite swarmers after storms, fleas at their worst, and ants coming indoors before rain. Late summer is when fish moths and cockroaches are most active indoors. From May, rats move into roofs as nights turn cold. Knowing that cycle helps you act a few weeks early, which is always cheaper than catching up.
A Norscot tip
Every spring, walk around the outside of the house and look for small holes and gaps in the eaves, fascia boards and walls. Sealing them before swarm season keeps bees out, and the same gaps are often the ones rats use in winter.
What it costs and why
The price depends on what we're treating and how big the property is. Fish moths and fleas in a family home are modest jobs. Rats depend on the stations needed and the follow-up. Bee removal depends on where the colony is and how much has to be opened up to reach it. Termite work depends on the perimeter of the house and the paving. This page shows a guide "from" price, and the full list is on our Johannesburg pest control price list. We quote after inspecting.
Norscot falls under our Fourways pest control service, and neighbouring Douglasdale has a page of its own.
Jason van Heerden owns and operates Combat Pest Control and has 25 years of experience. We're registered with SAPCA and the Department of Agriculture, offer service within 24 hours, and stand behind general treatments for 3 months. Call 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo of what you've found.
Questions we get asked
How much does pest control cost in Norscot?
That depends on the pest and the size of the home. Fish moths and fleas are modest jobs; termites and bee removal cost more. You'll find a guide from-price on this page, and we quote after inspecting.
Can you remove bees without killing them?
Where possible we work with a beekeeper to remove the colony alive, then seal the cavity so another swarm doesn't move in.
Why are there fleas when my dog is treated?
Most fleas live as eggs and larvae in carpets, bedding and soil. The house and garden must be treated at the same time as the dog.
How do I get rid of fish moths?
A targeted residual treatment in cupboards and storerooms, plus less cardboard and damp, clears them.
Do I need to leave the house?
No. Our insect treatments are odourless and you can stay home, as long as the kids and dogs give sprayed areas time to dry.
How do rats get into my roof?
Usually by climbing trees, creepers or cables onto the roof and getting in under the eaves. Cutting branches back from the roof and sealing gaps helps a lot.