Scorpion control in Northcliff, on and below the ridge

Scorpion control in Northcliff combines a residual barrier around the house with changes to the rocky habitat scorpions shelter in. The ridge's outcrops, stone walls and rockeries give them plenty of hiding places. We treat the perimeter, entry points and outdoor shelter spots, and show you how to make the area next to the house less attractive.

Why Northcliff gets scorpions

Scorpions need shelter during the day and insects to hunt at night. A rocky ridge provides both. Northcliff's natural outcrops, dry-packed retaining walls, rock gardens, stacked paving, loose stone edging and piles of building rubble all give scorpions cool, dark gaps to hide in. Many properties back onto steep, undeveloped parts of the slope, and some have landscaping that brings rock right up against the house.

They become most noticeable in the warm months, especially after rain, when they come out to hunt and occasionally wander indoors under doors, through gaps around pipes or into shoes, washing and towels left on the floor.

How dangerous are they?

Most scorpions found around Johannesburg homes have a painful sting that's more like a bad bee sting. There's a useful rule of thumb: scorpions with big, heavy pincers and a thin tail tend to be less venomous, while those with slender pincers and a thick tail can be more dangerous. That rule isn't foolproof, though. If anyone is stung, especially a child, an older person or someone with a medical condition, get medical advice straight away. Take a photo of the scorpion if you can.

Our page on scorpion control across Johannesburg has more on the types found around the city.

Burrowers and rock-dwellers

Not every scorpion lives the same way. Some dig burrows in bare, firm soil, often under a rock or at the base of a wall, and you'll see a neat hole with a little spoil heap outside. Others never dig: they squeeze into cracks in rock, under bark, inside loose stone walls and beneath stacked pavers. Both kinds are found around the ridge. Burrowers tend to stay put and are less likely to come indoors; crevice-dwellers roam further at night and are the ones usually found in bathrooms and shoes. Knowing which you have tells us whether to focus on the soil around the house or the walls and rock near it.

Signs scorpions are close to the house

• Scorpions found indoors more than once in a season
• Small burrow openings under rocks, pavers or the edge of the patio
• Scorpions under pot plants, doormats or items left on the ground
• Pets pawing at the same gap in a wall or rockery after dark

How we treat scorpions

1. Inspection at ground level. We look at the rock gardens, retaining walls, stone edging, wood piles, garden rubble, pool areas and the base of the house.
2. Barrier treatment. An odourless, non-staining residual product goes around the base of the house, under doors, around pipes and drains, and at the rock and wall areas closest to the building.
3. Shelter treatment. Gaps in retaining walls and rockeries near the house are treated directly.
4. Insect control. Scorpions hunt crickets, cockroaches and other insects. Reducing those, along with spiders around Northcliff homes, makes the area less attractive.
5. Habitat advice. We'll point out what to move or seal.

You can stay at home during treatment. Keep children and pets off treated areas until dry.

The mistake: rock right up against the house

Decorative rock and stone edging laid against the walls is the biggest single reason we find scorpions indoors on ridge properties. It gives them a hiding place a few centimetres from the door. Keeping a clear strip of plain paving or short lawn between the rockery and the house makes a difference no spray can match.

Practical safety on the ridge

• Shake out shoes, boots and gloves before putting them on, especially if left outside or in the garage.
• Don't leave towels and clothes on the floor overnight.
• Fit brush strips or seals under external doors.
• Wear gloves when moving rocks, firewood or paving.
• Check children's beds aren't touching the wall, and keep bedding off the floor.

A Northcliff tip

Buy a cheap ultraviolet torch. Scorpions glow brightly under UV light at night, so a slow walk around the patio, the retaining walls and the rockery after dark shows you exactly where they're living. It's useful, a little unsettling, and something kids on the ridge usually love.

What scorpion control costs, and why

The cost depends on the size of the house and garden, how much rockery and retaining wall is near the house, the number of outbuildings and whether insects also need treating. A complex unit is a small job; a large terraced stand with rock gardens on several levels takes longer. Our pest control price guide shows the starting price. If you see one scorpion a year, moving the rockery away from the door may be all you need.

We also handle scorpions in Roodepoort, where ridges and rocky gardens are common too, and the established gardens of Blackheath get their share. Everything we do locally is on the pest control in Northcliff page.

Jason van Heerden owns Combat Pest Control and brings 25 years of experience to every visit. We're SAPCA registered and registered with the Department of Agriculture under Act 36, offer service within 24 hours, and give a 3-month guarantee on scorpion treatments. Call 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo so we can identify the scorpion.