Pest control in Oaklands

Pest control in Oaklands is mostly about family homes and their gardens: roof rats in mature trees, harvester and subterranean termites, ants in irrigated beds, wasps under eaves and spiders in garages and outbuildings. We inspect the house and garden together, treat with children and pets in mind, and show you how to stop garden pests becoming house pests.

Oaklands: quiet streets, big gardens

Oaklands is a small, quiet residential suburb tucked between Norwood, Orange Grove and Houghton. Most properties are freestanding family homes from the middle of the last century on medium to large stands, with lawns, pools, vegetable patches, fruit trees and big old trees along the streets. There's little commercial activity inside the suburb itself; the shops and restaurants are a short drive away in Norwood.

That makes Oaklands different from its busier neighbours. Pest problems here tend to start in the garden rather than next door's restaurant. A fruit tree, a compost heap, a woodpile or a dry winter lawn is usually where the story begins.

From garden to house: the main pests

Roof rats

Roof rats live in the tree canopy and feed on fruit, birdseed, pet food and compost. When winter nights get cold, they move into the roof along branches that touch the gutters. We bait in lockable stations around the garden, trap in the roof space and give you a list of gaps and branches to deal with.

Termites

Two kinds matter here. Harvester termites strip lawns in dry winters, leaving bare patches with small holes and loose soil. Subterranean termites feed on buried roots, old stumps and garden timber, then move into door frames, skirtings and cupboards. Our article on how to get rid of termites in Johannesburg explains what you can and can't do yourself. Structural treatments carry a 5-year guarantee with a certificate.

Ants

Irrigated beds and paving give ant colonies a perfect base. Before rain they forage indoors, along skirtings and into pantries. Baits that workers carry back to the nest work far better than spraying.

Wasps

Paper wasps build small umbrella-shaped nests under eaves, carports and pergolas, and in summer they become a real hazard around pools and play areas. We treat and remove nests safely; our page on wasp removal around Rosebank has more.

Spiders

Garages, outbuildings, wendy houses and stacked garden furniture are where spiders settle. Clearing clutter and treating the outbuildings keeps numbers down.

Fleas and mosquitoes

Family dogs and shady lawns mean fleas in summer, and anything in the garden that holds water, from a sandpit cover to a forgotten bucket, breeds mosquitoes within a week or so. Both are easier to prevent than to clear.

Treating with children and pets around

Most Oaklands households have children, pets or both, so we plan treatments accordingly. Rodent bait stays inside lockable, tamper-resistant stations. Insect treatments are odourless and non-staining, and you don't need to leave home; the family and the dogs just wait until treated areas have dried. For lawns, we tell you how long to keep everyone off afterwards.

Before we come

Tell us where you've seen activity and, if you can, take a photo: a rat run along the wall, a mud tube, a nest under the eaves. Put pets inside or in a separate part of the garden for the visit, open the roof hatch and garage, and leave mud tubes and wasp nests untouched so we can trace them back. For lawns, skip watering the day before so we can see which termite holes are active.

An Oaklands tip

Pick up fallen fruit every day or two in late summer and autumn, and keep compost in a closed bin rather than an open heap. Those two habits remove the main food source that keeps roof rats living in the trees right above your house.

The common mistake

Treating a bare winter lawn as drought and simply watering more. If you see small holes and loose soil heaps, harvester termites are at work, and they'll be back next winter unless the colony is treated. Water helps the grass recover, but it doesn't remove the termites.

What it costs and why

For a family home, price depends on the size of the house and garden and the pests involved. A general treatment for ants and spiders is a small job; rodent control depends on the number of stations and follow-ups; harvester termite treatment on the lawn area; structural termite treatment on the building's perimeter. This page carries a guide "from" price, and our price guide for Johannesburg covers each service. We quote after inspecting.

Oaklands is covered by our Rosebank pest control hub, and Norwood, just across the way, has its own page.

Jason van Heerden owns and operates Combat Pest Control, bringing 25 years of pest control experience. We're SAPCA registered and registered with the Department of Agriculture, offer service within 24 hours and stand behind general treatments with a 3-month guarantee. Call 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo of your lawn or the nest.